Women in Red 4
by Clocktower
Summary: Claire is sent to Africa to help the BSAA locate a missing agent. Her partner complicates things, then Ada complicates things even more. Rated MA.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One.**

Claire tried to shake the deja vu from her mind as she was bounced around in the back of a Humvee that rolled over a dusty narrow road. The terrain she could see through the dust covered window was nothing like Spanish countryside had been, with its suffocating gray trees that lined winding, deeply rutted roads, yet the sensation of having done this all before was strong. The few trees that dotted the west African countryside reminded her umbrellas and she kept expecting to see some of the same animals they showed on nature shows but was disappointed.

Looking at the bobbing heads of the two BSAA agents that rode in the front of the Humvee she was able to see why this all seemed to familiar. While they both spoke in French accents, not Spanish, and had been perfect gentlemen, the scene was very much like it had been three years ago in the back of that smelly police car before things got out of hand.

-At least I'm not on a motorcycle,- she thought. -Then I'd be in real trouble.-

The amount of trash on the side of the road became thicker overtaking the sun-baked soil and dominating the roadside terrain. She recognized the brand names on some of the wrappers and felt a twinge of homesickness as they started to pass by buildings. Unlike the dilapidated structures she had seen in Spain these buildings had never been nice, nor would they have qualified as houses in some parts of the world. They appeared to be built from the same debris that littered the roadsides but what caught Claire's attention was that no people could be seen among them or walking along the road.

The Humvee sped up as the houses became denser and the road turned abruptly to crumbling pavement. The driver ignored a stop sign and took a turn hard to speed down a street. Claire gripped the back of the seat and leaned forward suddenly aware of the danger they were in. The agent in the passenger seat was checking something on a mobile device and pointed to the right side of the street while saying something in French.

"Nous sommes arrivés," said the driver. "We are at the drop point. Are you prepared?"

She patted her side where a .45 caliber pistol rested in its holster and felt the pocket of her fading red vest for something hard and metal she kept there. She also wore a belt that held ammunition and a few other items, namely a small flashlight, and a custom smart phone the BSAA issued to its personnel that Claire, being a member of the DSO, was jealous of. "Ready as I'm going to be," she said.

The Humvee slowed and turned rapidly into a vacant lot. Overflowing garbage bins were lined against a wall that was bowing inward, and trash littered the pavement.

"Remember," said the soldier in the passenger side. "Keep your sidearm out where people can see it, but don't go waving it around. Walk like you know where you're going even if you don't, and don't make eye contact with anyone."

"I remember the briefing," Claire said. Before she had been sent off in a Humvee with two BSAA members she had sat in a room for several hours being told the same things people in suits and uniforms had been telling her for the past week. That she was not the ideal person for this job, but paradoxically she was the only one they felt could do it. It seemed as through they were trying to talk her out of it, and maybe some of the more conscientious ones were. "It's not a black-white thing," they had insisted. "It's just that these people are one step away from being terrorists and you're an attractive, young western woman, so you're going to attract some attention."

Her job was to investigate sightings of her brother, Chris, which was perhaps another reason for the deja vu. Chris had not been suspended from the BSAA like he was from STARS after the mansion incident, he had simply gone AWOL. What surprised Claire was that no one she had spoken to within the BSAA had speculated out loud as to why. Perhaps the answer was too obvious. At least it was to Claire.

Chris had been quite vocal about there being evidence that his partner, Jill Valentine, was alive. He had been his usual tight-lipped self when talking to his sister about the details, but it was clear he thought it was a hot lead and the only thing that surprised Claire was how many times Chris asked permission before tiring of the word "no" and going off on his own. -They won't let him search for his partner but they have no trouble at all borrowing me from the DSO to search for him. Like I wouldn't anyway,- she had thought.

The Humvee came to a stop and she opened the door, noting that she would be alone and out in the open once they left. "What happens if she doesn't show?" Claire asked.

"Get out of sight and call HQ," said the driver. "We'd stay but orders are to drop you and bug out."

She nodded, remembering that was in the briefing, too, and shut the door. Claire watched the Humvee leave and when it was out of sight walked over to the nearest wall and leaned on it feeling like beacon. She listened for the sound of the Humvee getting blown up by an RPG, which is what BSAA command had been afraid of, and heard nothing but its engine fading.

The silence made her chest feel tight and if her mind went unoccupied for too long she would hear moans. Claire reached into her vest pocket and pulled out a gold colored pin that opened up to show her two tiny photographs. One was a clear photo of a blond, smiling girl. Former First Daughter Ashley Graham. The other was a grainy photograph of a short-haired Asian woman. Ada Wong. Claire liked having them together but rarely looked at them. She remembered the day she'd gotten the little keepsake in the mail along with the note. -Something to remember me by. Thought you'd need her, too,- it had said.

Claire closed it and tumbled it around in her fingers. The urge to throw it away was strong. The streets of some third-world ghetto would be a good place for it, she thought, but as usual it grew heavy in her hand.

"You want to be careful showing off stuff like that in public," said a woman. Claire's hand was on her pistol when she turned to look but the weapon remained in the holster.

The woman was leaning out over the sill of a window. Her skin was the color of a coffee candy, her hair was black and straight, tied behind her head in a small ponytail. She had an almond shaped face and a tiny nose, while her eyes seemed to blend in with her eyelashes to form black, sparkling pools.

"You're..."

"Sheva Alomar," the woman said, leaping out of the window with the grace of a cat. She wore a light purple tank top with a plunging neckline. It contrasted with her form-fitting olive drab pants and calf-high boots. The cover on her gun holster was unbuttoned. "You must be Claire Redfield."

"That's me," Claire said and put the keepsake back in her vest pocket.

"Sorry for spying on you. I'm not like that, I was just curious."

"About what?"

"You. There aren't many women in this line of work so I'm suspicious of the ones I meet. Hypocritical, right?"

It was but Claire did not say so. There was something about Sheva she liked but could not yet say what it was. "I've known a few suspicious ladies myself," said Claire. "Should we be going?"

"No messing around, that's a good quality," Sheva said. "Alright, keep close but don't look nervous."

Sheva led Claire out of the alley and they went in the direction the Humvee had been going before it turned sharply into the lot.

"Where is everybody?" Claire asked, watching Sheva's backside as she moved. Sheva was lean but not stringy. Her gun belt rested easily on her hips and Claire had to force herself to stop starring and pay attention to her surroundings.

"You know I was wondering that myself," Sheva said. "These streets aren't exactly teeming with people at the best of times, but this is odd."

The building's around them began sporting second stories which were clearly recent add-ons and of slightly better quality than the floors bellow. Soon she started to see people. Bored, black faces, mostly men but a few women. There were no children in sight which she found strange.

When they turned a corner to head down a long dirt street the houses and people began to resemble a town. There were people walking past stalls and shops where the shopkeepers kept narrow eyes on their dry goods. Some were selling meat cut it into rough dark pieces and left hanging on hooks.

"I guess HQ told you close to nothing?" Sheva said, walking a little faster so Claire had to step up her pace.

"Just the basics," Claire said, noting the poor job those around her were doing of pretending not to look at her and Sheva.

"Our contact is up ahead at the end of the square. He's been keeping an eye on things here and hopefully he's got something to tell us," Sheva said as they passed a group of tall, lanky men. Claire felt their eyes on her and shifted her holster around so anyone looking could see the gun.

"About my brother?"

"Maybe. Rumor has it Chris Redfield was seen some weeks ago in this region. Can't imagine what he'd be doing here," Sheva said.

"Looking for his partner," said Claire.

"Jill Valentine? I heard she died."

"Chris thinks she's alive. Guess the BSAA isn't spreading that part around."

"They've been trying to keep the whole thing under wraps but you know how rumors spread though an organization," said Sheva. "Most of us grunts thinks it's bullshit how your brother was treated."

"You're not worried about talking in the street like this?" Claire asked.

Sheva slowed to walk a few feet in front of Claire. "It's not going to matter much. We've got good intel that a bioweapon of some kind is being moved through here, today. Alpha Team is going on ahead of us, once we meet the informant, and after them is Delta Team. It's going to get hot here in a hurry."

"What!?" Claire shouted, then clamped her hand over her mouth. She looked around as though she had screamed in church, then picked up her feet to get closer to Sheva. "That's not what I was told," she hissed, hoping Sheva didn't take her agitation personally. "I mean, they said there was a guy here who might know where Chris is, nothing about an Alpha Team or a bioweapon."

Sheva's almond face pinched into annoyance and concern, but Claire could feel it was not directed at her. "Oh, that's just like them," she said. "Well...you're here now, so lets go."

There were more people around them now still going about their business but moving closer to they two women than they needed to be. Sheva trotted towards a green walled butcher shop with no meat hanging. Rather than go for the front door Sheva went down an alley where a rug had been hung over a hole in the wall. "This should be it," she said, leading Claire through the rug.

There was a man inside the room. He wore tan, baggy clothing and a white head wrap. His already pinched face narrowed all the more when he recognized the women for who they were. "You're late. It's starting already. There is a man, Ricardo Irving. He will be at the rail yard on the other end of town where business of this sort is usually conducted."

"Who's this Irving guy supposed to be?" Claire asked. A glance from Sheva told her she should let her partner do the talking.

"Irving is a bio-terrorist. A facilitator," said the man in the head wrap. "He will know about Uroboros."

"Uroboros," hissed Sheva. "We've been hearing things for months, but nothing solid," she said to Claire. Looking back at the man, she asked "What about Chris Redfield? We heard he had been sighted in the region."

"I know nothing of him, only that he has been seen," said the man.

"Well that's something," Claire said. -Something close to nothing.-

When their talk lulled they heard a distant noise through the thin walls. It was a man barking harsh words in Swahili through an electronic speaker. "What's going on?" Sheva asked, turning to the man. "There was hardly anyone before we got to the town square, then it looked like people were headed somewhere."

"I told you, it's starting. Whoever is pulling the strings in this place knows you're here and is going to make things difficult. Get going, to the train yard before it's too late."

Sheva nodded and with a tilt of her head bid Claire to follow her out a back door where there was a long dirt path leading down between shanty houses, fences, and piles of tires. Claire felt her mobile device vibrate and she remembered the earpiece she kept in her pocket. Turning it on she fitted it into her ear. "It's Claire, I copy," she said.

"Claire, it's Hunnigan, have you found Sheva Alomar?"

"Yes, we're heading into Kijuju. No sign of Chris."

"Alright, but remember your orders. You're to pull back if you confirm he isn't there. You are not to get involved with regular BSAA operations."

Claire sighed, and knew Hunnigan could hear her. "That might not be..."

"Possible, yes, I know but I have to say it. More bad news, the comm link isn't as good as we thought it would be so I might lose you from time to time."

"Nothing we can't handle," Claire said, following Sheva around corners and through the simple buildings that seemed to be mostly for storage or work.

"The battery on that thing won't last forever, so I'm going to go silent. Keep me posted regularly."

"Will do," said Claire.

"Was that your DSO controller?" Sheva asked. She had drawn her pistol, so had Claire.

"Ingrid Hunnigan. She helped me through the last mess I was in that was like this."

Sheva slowed and turned towards Claire while continue to move forward. "I read the reports on that incident in Spain," said Sheva. "If half of it was true I might believe a few of the other things they say about you."

Claire almost stopped but continued at a trot. "People say things about me? Like what?"

"Crazy things. I'll tell you later, best we focus now."

Claire agreed but could not help but note how Sheva's words did not irritate her as they likely would from anyone else who told her about gossip then instructed her to focus like she was a rookie. The next building they entered was larger than most of the others. Cardboard boxes filled with fruits and vegetables were stacked in the corners around a support beam in the center of the big room on the ground floor.

There was a man leaning against the pole, bent over as though he was being sick. Fluid dribbled from his mouth when he brought his head up to look at them, his black skin shining with sweat. He stood up straight and was a head taller than Sheva but what Claire noted most was the wounds at the corners of his mouth as though they had been cut or torn, and the bloody ichor running from his eyes like tears.

His mouth opened and Claire thought his tongue was swollen to an immense proportion until it split into four fleshy petals like it was some sort of flower. It was not a flower, though, it was a worm or grub of some kind. The man made a gurgling noise in an attempt to hurl some curse at them then charged.

Sheva put two bullets in the man's face which made him fall forward and land at their feet. Claire stepped closer and brought a boot down on the man's neck, just bellow his skull which was bent at an angle. There was a snapping sound and the body spasmed before going limp.

"The hell..." Sheva said, her breath coming fast as she rolled the dead man over with her foot. His face was a bloody bowl with pieces of the worm-thing mixed in with flesh, bone, and broken teeth.

"Las Plagas," Claire said, eying the dead parasite. "Or something that looks a lot like it." Her hand rested on her keepsake which she felt through the cloth of her vest. -Damn it, Ada, who the hell did you sell that sample to?-

Her hand fell away from the keepsake when she thought of the reason Ada had given her for selling bioweapons to the highest bidders. That someone would do the job if she didn't, so why not get paid? Or something along those lines. Claire could almost picture herself with Ada, resting on a beach on some tropical island far from the world they had helped poison but the vision was fuzzy and hard to hold on to for more than a moment.

"Las Plagas...ganados, like you wrote in your report," Sheva said. "You don't think..."

They noticed the sound of hundreds of voices now, somewhere not far off but distorted by the buildings and alleyways. Beneath the sound, like a blood vessel running through a membrane, was the voice being piped through a mechanical speaker.

"You meet one Plaga, you're soon to meet a lot more," Claire said, looking down at the dead man and calling Hunnigan. She nodded for Sheva to keep moving and followed her out of the building. When she heard Hunnigan's voice, she told her about the man they had killed.

"You might be walking in to a major outbreak," Hunnigan said. "It's too late to back out now...there's no way the BSAA didn't suspect this...Help them capture Irving, he might have information on your brother but don't put yourself at too much risk. You're on loan to the BSAA for intelligence purposes, not added muscle."

Claire's sigh was almost a growl and she bit her tongue to keep from taking her annoyance out on Hunnigan. "Whatever," Claire said, feeling guilty over her tone. "We're heading to a train yard where the BSAA teams are planning to nab Irving. Over and out."

The sound of Ada's patronizing laughter shook Claire's imagination and to focus on the task at hand she watched Sheva's lithe form sway in front of her, darting her eyes to the side whenever she looked back to see where Claire was. They had come close to where the action was and learned the voice they had been hearing belonged to a man using a megaphone.

They were in a back alley which led them into an indoor produce market. Cardboard boxes of tomatoes and other vegetables were stacked in random places and a large window near the front showed them a mesh fence was all that was between them and the massive crowd they had been listening to. Through the window they could see the crowd massed around a wooden scaffold or gallows. Atop it was the informant they had met with not minutes before and Claire wondered how he could have come to be where he was so quickly. He had been dragged up the scaffold to the highest platform and forced to kneel over a chopping block while a man in a long black frock and dark sunglasses shouted into a megaphone down at the crowd.

Behind them stood an impossibly large man with a leather apron draped over his flab-covered muscles. His face was obscured by a black bag and over his shoulder he carried a giant ax. His foot came down on the informer's back, pinning the smaller man to the chopping block.

Sheva looked at Claire and no words were needed to convey their mutual desire and complete inability to help the doomed man on the scaffold.

"We have to double back and go around," whispered Claire. "Before we're seen."

A train of voices all speaking a language Claire did not understand rose up from the back of the building but rather than burst through the door they carried around to the front and became a group of men on the other side of a mesh fence. They started to climb it, unaware or uncaring for the tangle of barbed wire at the top of the fence.

"There's nowhere to go if we double back," said Sheva who had seen a large hole in the ceiling. She pointed to it and told Claire to boost her up.

Claire formed a stirrup with her hands for Sheva's foot, then let her shoulders be used as steps like on ladder. Sheva was light and had the balance of an alley cat. She was strong, too, hoisting Claire up to the second floor after catching her hand.

"Hopefully this was a good idea," said Sheva.

"We're in a better position now," Claire said. She stooped low and looked through the window towards the execution ground. The man with the bull-horn and long black shirt was no longer making a flowing speech but was now shouting slogans and pointing to the captive who lay motionless under the executioner's boot.

"Bastards will pay for this," Sheva said.

"I can't believe all those people are infected," said Claire.

The ax fell on the man parallel to his spine and split the top quadrant of him in half. Claire's insides felt liquid and bubbly at the sight but she had seen worse things and from a closer vantage point, so she got over the feeling quickly.

Sheva kept her eyes fixed on the carnage and she shook her head slowly. "That's no way to go."

"He might be lucky compared to us if we hang around here much longer," said Claire. "Can we use the rooftops?"

Sheva's response was interrupted by the man with the bullhorn, who was barking commands and pointing in their direction. They

"Damn, we're spotted," said Sheva.

"Run!" shouted Claire, heading for a door that led them outside to a makeshift patio. Many of the town's roofs were connected by long planks and it was these that made Claire think the rooftops would be a good escape route.

"Kirk!" Sheva said into her radio as she ran. "Kirk, we need air support by the town square, now!"

The reply over Sheva's radio could not be heard over the shouts from bellow. The mob was running to the building the two woman had come from while a scattered few were taking to the rooftops from elsewhere in the square. "Hurry, Kirk, this is going to get very ugly. Good, roger that," said Sheva.

From the top of a ladder Claire fired down at men who were trying to climb it then she pushed the ladder away before a glass bottle and machete were thrown at her. The objects went high and she fired at the men who had thrown them, wounding two who were more angry than in pain over their flesh being torn. "Is the chopper coming?" Claire asked.

"Kirk says in a few minutes. He's here to support the assault teams but we need him more."

"You can say that again," Claire said as a group of men came out of the building they had left. Scoring head shots on multiple, mobile targets was no easy feat and so she fired into their legs, destroying the kneecap of the lead man and causing him to fall and his fellows to tumble over him in a comic pileup.

Sheva ran ahead and Claire followed, struggling to keep up with her speed and balance over the swaying, creaking bridges that connected many of the houses. Few infected men had come to the rooftops and fewer were able to head them off and those that did were shot by Sheva, who put rounds into their heads and upper chests.

While she felt out of practice, Claire was happy to have a competent partner but when they reached the end of the square, near a small outdoor market, they were was barred by a thick steel gate. None of the rooftop bridges led over it and Claire doubted there would be any climbing it.

"We can make a stand there and if things get too hot we'll duck into that building," Sheva shouted. She left the roof by falling over the side and turning in midair to catch the edge thus easing her trip to the ground. Claire opted to first sit on the edge of the roof then drop down and she felt the shock of the fall in her legs but was otherwise unhurt.

With their backs against the gate they could see the villagers coming. With their dark skin they reminded Claire of ants and she touched each of her spare magazines on her belt knowing she would need them but they would not be enough.

Sheva and Claire began to shoot as the first group came in to pistol range. Bullets from both women hit the same targets but as more came and tried to flank them they automatically began shooting into separate zones, aiming for the heads and upper chests where the parasites resided. Their enemies moved without fear of the bullets but they were like puppets being jerked on strings. This made them inaccurate when they threw things like knives and tools, but their unpredictable movements made them difficult to shoot, at least where it would kill them outright.

An empty wine bottle hit Claire in the chest and Sheva took the wooden handle of a thrown hatched across her shin before the group was close enough so they stopped throwing things. Sheva shot a hatchet-wielding man in the knee making him kneel, then she took the weapon as he raised it and sunk it into his skull.

Through the oncoming group Claire spied a woman trying to ignite a rag tucked into a bottle. When it was lit, she raised it and threw. Without thinking Claire shot into the air and destroyed the bottle. Burning liquid came down over the heads of the infected men and sent them into a raging panic giving her time to eject the empty magazine from her gun and slip a new one in.

"Follow me!" Sheva shouted, running hard to her left where the flank of the attacking group was weakest. Claire followed her into a building where they took a short flight of stairs up to the roof.

"Kirk, we're out of time. Come now or don't bother!" shouted Sheva into her headset.

The men did not flood into the building but instead gave it a wide berth and leered up at the two women. The executioner was coming down the street like a piece of farm equipment dragging his massive, wet ax behind him. He was too big for the door but this he fixed with a sideways swipe of his ax that shook the building.

Both women went to the top of the stairs and fired bullets into the hooded figure that came lumbering up them. Claire hoped he would be so heavy the stairs would not support his weight but they did, and their bullets seemed not to bother him.

They backed up as the executioner came to the top of the stairs. He swung the ax like a scythe which Claire barely avoided by dropping flat on her stomach. Sheva had somehow jumped and landed hard on both feet.

"Push him," shouted Sheva.

-She can't be serious," Claire thought, but then saw Sheva charge forward and slide under the big man's legs causing him to stand upright and begin twisting around. Claire jumped to her feet and sprang at the executioner as fast as she could and hit him high in the chest with her shoulder. He was knocked off balance and went down the stairs backward with a crash that made the floor beneath them shake.

Once the men on the street realized the executioner had fallen they began to come inside while others set ladders against the building. Claire put a new magazine in her gun and started to refresh the spent one while Sheva toppled ladders and fire at the men bellow.

When Claire heard the sound of a helicopter she started to cheer but screamed when the executioners ax was shoved up through the ceiling, nearly hitting her.

"It's Kirk!" shouted Sheva. "Let's go!"

She went to a ladder and fired down it to clear the men climbing up, then slid down the rungs. Claire was no so bold but went down several rungs at a time to stand in a group of men with her partner.

The helicopter was at the other end of the square whipping up dust and debris with the air displaced by its whirring blades. Sheva fired her gun as she ran into a group of men and covered her head with her free hand while Claire went after her, also covering her head and feeling blows on her forearms while twisting away from attempts to grab on to her. Had the helicopter not created a disturbance they might not have made such a rush.

They did not run to the gate but instead went into the small area of fruit stands. Claire tripped while turning around and from the ground saw the helicopter's minigun fire into the crowd they left by the house. When the executioner came out of the building the bullets chopped him to pieces and spattered the building red.

"Way to go, Kirk!" Sheva called out. "Roger."

She helped Claire to her feet and they went further from the gate while the helicopter repositioned itself above them before firing a missile into the gate that had barred their path. It was blown in half and off its hinges.

Sheva's headset could be heard crackling and she swore. "Come on. Kirk says it looks like the entire town is rallying on us here."

On the other side of the gate was a narrow dirt street running alongside a dry canal. Wooden bridges went over the canal and lead further into town but Sheva slid over the dirt edge and waived for Claire to follow. "Where are we going?" Claire asked once she was with Sheva.

"Kirk says we should hide, plus this canal will take us in the direction of the train yard."

"Hope they don't follow us in there," Claire said, looking to where the canal became a tunnel not far up ahead.

"Same here," said Sheva who had begun to jog. Claire let out a long breath and focused on Sheva's buttocks and the strong lines of her back they went into the dark tunnel opening.

**To be continued...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two.**

The tunnel was made from crumbling bricks and was sparsely lit by light bulbs strung along thin, orange cords. The floor was dry and there were places in the walls where people had dug openings for small dwellings. Claire could see why. It was much cooler in the tunnel and she felt a chill from the change in temperature.

They ran into no trouble for a few hundred yards but Sheva suddenly touched her earpiece and cursed. She ran faster and was searching the sides of the tunnels for another little cave and when she found one she bid Claire to follow her inside past the blue tarpaulin that served as a door. Inside, the ceiling was low but the floor dropped off partway in leaving them a place to duck and not be seen if someone were to pull aside the tarpaulin.

The only light was from a board wrapped in clear Christmas tree lights. Sheva was looking for the switch. "Here," Claire said, finding the switch and flipping it. Only half the lights went off and Sheva was about to tear them down when they heard people outside. Both pressed themselves low to the floor and listened to the muttering beyond the tarpaulin. Sheva started to raise her weapon when the tarpaulin moved but Claire stopped her. The men had seen nothing and were moving on.

"Close one," said Claire.

"I know...whew, makes me wet though."

Sheva's eyes went wide a moment after she spoke and she covered her mouth.

Claire waited a second before smiling. "Same here," she said.

Sheva grinned and was relieved. "Glad it's not just me who gets it. You always hear the boys joke about getting erections on missions but I can never tell if they're serious."

"Danger is a turn-on for some people, I guess," said Claire, thinking of one person in particular. "Not that I enjoy this sort of thing."

"No, who does?" said Sheva. Her radio distracted her and she held the receiver tighter to her ear. "Kirk's saying we should stay put for now, there's too many on the move up above."

"That's alright, I was getting tired. It's been a while since I was on a field mission like this." She winced from the countless aches in her muscles as well as the scratched and bruises she had been given by the infected townspeople. After she refreshed her magazines she looked at Sheva. Her dark skin was like polished wood from the sweat she had worked up.

"You said earlier people say crazy things about me," said Claire. "How crazy?"

Sheva sat with her wrists on her knees and waved her gun in a dismissive manner, keeping the muzzle pointed at a wall. "Well, everyone thought Ada Wong was the one who got to you, but after the incident in Spain with the Graham girl the rumors became you were a real Femme Fatale type, sort of like a Jane Bond or something."

Claire smiled with one side of her mouth. "I wish I had it so good."

"Is any of it true?" asked Sheva.

"Depends on what else people are saying," said Claire. "You could say I was dating Ada Wong for a time."

"And the First Daughter?" pressed Sheva, after Claire had been silent for several moments. "Stop me if I'm prying."

She was prying but it did not feel like it to Claire. Instead it seemed like she had known this woman for longer than the short time they had been together and they were now trying to recover lost memories. "I fooled around with Ashley, too," Claire said, then felt sick. "No, it was more than fooling around. But I didn't seduce her. We just kind of clicked."

"I wasn't trying to stir anything up," said Sheva. "I was just curious, you know?"

Claire nodded, locking eyes with Sheva and trying to read her. While Claire had been watching Sheva, Sheva had been watching Claire. "Has your curiosity been satisfied?"

"Almost," said Sheva. "I was just wondering about you and Ada. When things got hot, did you ever get...intimate?"

Claire smiled and laughed, wondering why neither of them would just come out and say it. "Yeah, we would. Ada was crazy like that. But maybe not. Lately I was thinking how that sort of thing can help you focus. It can dull a lot of the fear and pain, too."

Sheva rubbed the back of her neck and looked at the ground between her feet. "I've had some self-time on a mission and it helps but, you know."

A feeling that reminded Claire of the first time she had driven by herself on a motorcycle overtook her and she stood up. "It's better when you have a partner," said Claire. "You want to try it?"

"You mean...now? With you?"

Laughing again, Claire undid her belt. "Unless I misread you tragically bad that's what you wanted to ask, right? We've got time if we're quick." Claire unzipped her vest and draped it over a stool as Sheva watched. Her tan linen shirt was next then the sports bra she wore. Sheva began to undress as well, unbuckling her belt before pulling her purple tank top over her head. Her bra slid down from her shoulders and landed in a pile of clothes on the hard packed dirt floor.

Sheva sat down and Claire went to her knees. She leaned over Sheva and their lips met. The kiss was chaste at first then their mouths locked. Sheva's tongue was hesitant but eager and it met Claire's halfway before pressing into the other mouth. They went back and forth and Claire came closer to Sheva, leaning her back so she lie down and their bodies synced.

Touching Sheva was easy. Her muscles were soft and her skin smooth despite the dirt, sweat and grime she had picked up in the battle. While soft Sheva was lithe and wiry and she touched Claire all over while holding her down, pressing the two of them together. Sheva's torso was untouched by dirt and it was there Claire nuzzled and kissed her going from the hard bone of her chest to the soft flesh above her naval, then back up again where her lips clamped over the coffee colored breasts. As she sucked a nipple into her mouth and made it wet with her tongue she felt her buttocks squeezed and caressed. While savoring the last salty flavors from Sheva's flesh Claire was abruptly rolled onto her back and Sheva slid into position to nuzzle and kiss.

Claire's hands were exploring Sheva with delight, noting the differences between her body and those of the other women she had known. Claire felt drunk. She felt like everything had slipped off her. She felt Sheva's upper thigh between her legs as it pressed against the soft flesh there and made her body tighten. Her hands went to Sheva's hips and started to pull down her pants prompting Sheva to deftly remove her boots using her own feet. Claire had to lean down to get her own boots off and they used their brief separation to disrobe completely.

On her back, Claire lay still until Sheva's buttocks loomed over her then she gripped them with her hands while the other woman settled over her, facing her feet. Claire squeezed the buttocks while her tongue found its way between the pink spot of flesh before her. Sheva quivered and Claire relaxed, feeling a lapping tongue between her own legs. Slowly pressure began to build in her and it made what she was doing difficult to concentrate on. Still, she had a better angle and made Sheva come first.

When teeth nipped her inner thigh Claire let out a small squeak and deliver a love bite to Sheva's buttock in return. She rubbed the spot she had bitten and kissed it while spreading her legs wider so Sheva could finish her off. After a short time she did and Claire made no effort to conceal the long satisfied moan inside her.

Sheva rolled off Claire and lie on her back, her arms spread out as she breathed heavily. "That was amazing," said Sheva. "And on a dirt floor no less."

Now that the drunk feeling was over the hard dirt floor felt like ice and Claire sat up. "Someday I'll learn to pack a towel or something."

They were quiet and distant muffled noises crept into the space with them. Claire was thinking of the infected people and the ganado she had fought in Spain. She had been alone then for the most part and her situation had been far more dire. She felt good now.

It was Sheva who broke the silence. "So, I don't normally do this sort of thing," she said.

"What? Have sex with women?"

Sheva chuckled. "After all that you're accusing me of inexperience? No, I mean sex in the middle of a combat operation with a woman I just met not two hours ago. I don't know the rules."

"Rules?"

"You know, the rules. The etiquette of the whole thing. I mean I'm not looking for a relationship. Should I even say that word?"

Claire sat up and examined the bite mark on her thigh. It had not broken the skin but the marks were deep and purple. "If there are rules, I don't know them."

"I won't feel bad if I break any, then," said Sheva, and picked up her communicator to ask Kirk what the situation was above. She began to dress as she did this and Claire also started to put her clothes back on.

"Roger that, Kirk, we'll be heading their way now," said Sheva. She began putting her clothes on quicker. "He says Alpha Team has made contact with hostiles and he's moving to support them. We're clear to move but something doesn't sound right to me."

"How so?" asked Claire, following Sheva into the tunnel.

"Kirk made it sound like Alpha Team was having bigger problems than those infected people, but I can't imagine what that might be."

"Ah," said Claire, thinking she did not have to imagine and could go off memory if she wished but there was no sense in worrying herself or her new partner with speculation. Rather she savored the memory of what had just happened and let herself entertain hopes it might happen again as she watched the nubile frame bounce ahead of her in the gloom.

When the tunnel opened up they climbed the side of it to stand on a narrow dirt street that went between brick and concrete buildings. There were no teeming crowds of infected people but a few were loitering about and some had set up crude ambushes. Claire shot the ones closest to her in the head or chest as did Sheva, only if one had a weapon she would cripple him with a few shots to the legs then use the weapon on his head.

"We're going to need more ammo if this keeps up," Sheva said. "Maybe we'll find some lying around."

"I hope we don't. If they have bullets then they have guns and I'm fine not being shot at," said Claire.

The street led them between two tall concrete buildings, one painted white, the other a patchy blue. At the end of the street was a flight of concrete steps leading up a hill where there were more multi-story buildings. At the top of the fence was a metal gate and at the foot of the stairs was a leaning utility pole that seemed ready to snap under the weight of the transformer it held.

"Wouldn't want that to come down on your head," said Sheva pointing to the pole just before a woman lunged from out of an alley way holding a butcher knife. She lunged towards Claire who sidestepped her.

The woman was tall and wore a colorful but filthy dress. Her face and eyes were ravaged like the infected men Claire had seen but she seemed more feral, like her mind had degenerated more than the others had.

Sheva holstered her gun and drew her knife. "Distract her and I'll put her down," she said.

"Okay," said Claire, liking how Sheva confidently planned this woman's doom while not sounding excited about it. Claire darted at the woman, making her turn towards her for another knife lunge. Sheva was like a sharp wind on an otherwise calm day, clearing the distance between her and the woman in one leaping stride, grabbing her by the opposite shoulder to make her turn before driving the knife into the woman's head from just above the ear.

Sheva moved away and left her knife in the woman's skull. Rather than die she walked in a semi-circle while her body went rigid and shook. Then her head exploded showering the area around her in blood.

A worm, half as thick as the woman's torso had spring up from the neck and was casting its segmented body around like a lasso all while wiggling hooked legs and clacking mandibles. The woman's body wheeled around like a drunken marionette towards Sheva and the worm lashed out at her, missing its target and nearly toppling the woman it rode.

Claire fired at the worm body where it met the woman's neck hoping to dislodge it or kill it outright. It made a lunge at Claire but her bullets had made it like a punctured fire hose and flopped downward then vomited forth a stream of brown fluid before it collapses along with the woman.

"Just like the ganado..." Claire hissed, touching the keepsake under vest pocket.

"Whew...I wasn't expecting that," said Sheva, lowering her gun as she was now confident the thing was dead. "Can they all do that?"

"I don't know how it works," said Claire. "I didn't think they could do that in daylight."

"Looks like the Spanish strain has been modified," said Sheva. "Anyway, I think we need to go up those steps."

Claire nodded and refreshed her magazine. When they turned to go up the stairs they saw a man standing at the top of them and Claire's deja vu returned.

His head was wrapped in bandages leaving a gap for his eye and mouth. He wore no shirt or shoes, only a pair of faded and dirty blue jeans. In his hands he held a chainsaw which he started with two pulls from the starting cord and raised it above his head mixing his high-pitched laughter with the buzzing of the saw.

Sheva laughed and made Claire think she was cracking up. "Watch this," Sheva said, taking aim in the man's direction as he came down the steps. She fired three times and the transformer hanging from the bent utility pole fell to hit the chainsaw man on the top of the head. Its weight drove a sharp corner into the skull cracking it like an egg.

"Very nice," said Claire and patted Sheva on the back.

Sheva's grin became a smile when her radio crackled. Claire could not make out what was being said on the other end but could detect a note of panic in the person's voice. "What? Kirk, explain, what's happening?" said Sheva, her smile gone. "Damn it, we've got to move, Alpha Team needs our help."

Claire felt her stomach turn and wondered what help two lightly armed reconnaissance operatives were going to do to help a BSAA assault team. "I'm guessing they don't need us to bring them snacks and help with the paperwork," Claire said.

Sheva cracked a smile despite her concern. "We can hope that's the case but I can't imagine what they've come up against that they think we'll tip the scale.

"We'll find out when we get there," said Claire. She was not happy about being drawn into heavy combat but knew not being happy never helped.

Sheva's radio crackled again. "Looks like they're sending in Delta Team on top of us. We should be able to link up with them," she said.

More stragglers assaulted them in the alleyways between the tall buildings, some of which they had to go through to get around blocked streets where fires had been set or cars piled on top of each other. They used bullets sparingly but killing in hand-to-hand combat was tiring and put them at greater risk of injury. "Hold up a second," Claire said after they had gone through a building. She sat on a stool inside what had once been a bar. Outside at the far end of the street were three men coming their way carrying improvised weapons.

"You're out of shape," said Sheva, watching Claire catch her breath.

"You wore me out earlier," Claire said.

"If you help me drop those three down there I might wear you out again once we see Alpha Team is safe."

"I'll take the one on the right then I'll help you with the other two if you can keep them off me," Claire said, getting off the stool.

"If you can take out two by yourself I'll give you something nice. Deal?"

Claire blinked then looked hard at Sheva. There was a light in her face that knew it should not be there and enjoyed it. "You're on," said Claire leaving the building ahead of her partner and going towards the three men. The one Claire had planned to kill was hunched forward intending to stab her with the sharp metal rod he held. The middle one had a machete raised above his head ready to throw or chop with it, while the third carried a wooden club. "Stuck me with the nasty ones, I see how it is," Claire said with mock indignity.

"I'll make it worth it," said Sheva. "Promise."

Claire fired at the man with the skewer while the machete blade went past her head, its handle hitting her shoulder. The man she shot was missing half his face and so she dealt him a high kick to the head but that left her open to be tackled by the man who threw the machete. She fell on her back with him on top and his hands around her throat but they relaxed when she pressed her gun barrel under his chin and fired once.

After throwing him off she got up and the man with the skewer came at her. She tried to get away from him but he hit her across the lower back with it, wielding the rod like a club. Claire cried out in pain and spun to fall on her buttocks with her gun up.

Sheva was dodging clumsy swings from her opponent and had moved behind the skewer man, making it dangerous for Claire to shoot him. He held his skewer in front of him like he was holding a fire hose and came forward to impale Claire. She kicked the weapon aside and he fell on top of her and like the man with the machete began to strangle her.

"Need help?" Sheva shouted.

Claire could not answer but she reached for the man's skewer and held it under his chin like she had with her gun on the other man. She shoved it in and did not top until she felt it touch the top of his skull. When she got the dead man off her she sat up to see Sheva standing over the one she had killed, holding his gore-stained club. She dropped it and came over to appraise the corpses Claire had created. "Guess you earned your treat," said Sheva, helping Claire up then walking her towards a wall.

With her back against the concrete Claire was kissed, deep and hard by Sheva. "I thought we're going to wait...for Alpha..." Claire tried to say through the barrage of lips and tongue.

"We are," said Sheva, giving Claire some space to breath. "Just though you deserved a little taste." She reached into a pouch she carried and pulled something out. "I've been bringing this on missions lately. Comes in handy."

It was a dildo, about seven inches long and only slightly wider than what Sheva could encircle with her thumb and index finger. "Does it..." Claire started to say, then Sheva turned a dial near the bottom, making it vibrate.

"Three speeds. Low, medium, fast," Sheva said, making the vibrator shake at different intensities as she spoke. It was black in color and she ran it over her bottom lip like gloss before twirling the tip in her mouth. She touched it to Claire's lips, who let her slid it in the same distance. "I'm a wizard with this thing, just you wait and see. Gotta keep alive, though."

"That I can do," said Claire, almost giddy over how she felt and fearing that perhaps later she mind find it odd she had been standing over dead men while being shown a dildo. "We should probably get moving."

"Agreed," said Sheva, slipping the dildo back into its pouch and leading Claire down the street.

Her senses had become sharp and her mind focused. She suspected Sheva felt the same.

**To be continued...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three.**

The air was thick with the smell of fish and salt which came together to remind Claire how hot the sun was. She had worked up a sweat again following Sheva who carried a heavy dock wrench lifted from a dead infected man. When a lone assailant tried to bar their way Sheva used the wrench to kill him. When two more came Claire used her pistol to hobble them while Sheva finished them with the heavy wrench. They worked out the system without having to speak.

They had come to another market, one for wholesalers who supplied shops elsewhere in the town. Since killing the chainsaw wielding man they had seen less crazed townspeople but there were enough to cause them fear suddenly being mobbed

"It's strange how quiet this place is," said Sheva.

There were no signs of life between the stalls where boxes of fruit and vegetables were stacked. The stalls had formed a maze which Claire was not eager to go through, so instead she forced open a gate that led down a long long dock where a boat was tied. Seeing the boat made her think of the reward she was owed by Sheva but she had not forgotten Alpha Team. Still she stepped into the deck with the intention of reaching the dock on the other side and reentering the market, bypassing the maze of stalls.

Claire walked onto the boat's raised prow where a pile of empty sacks had been set, and scanned the rest of the market while Sheva went to the back of the boat to ensure no one would be coming up behind them. Claire was uneasy on her feet thinking about what a fine opportunity the boat presented and did not immediately register the movement behind her.

What Claire had taken for large pile of burlap bags was only a few sacks draped over a large black man. He was bald and wore nothing but a pair of blue fatigue shorts. Built like bull there was little Claire could do to turn him aside. She took the full force of his shoulder and was sent through the air and into the water.

The water might have been refreshing has the salt not stung her eyes and burned her throat while making her many cuts and scrapes come alive with pain. Her clothes were heavy with water and she could hear gunfire as she swam up towards the surface. When she grabbed onto the dock a powerful hand latched around her wrist and hoisted her up.

Wiping water from her eyes with her free hand she saw a man dash behind the one who held her towards Sheva who was battling two others. Then a fist drove into her stomach leaving her to hang like a fish and unable to prevent a hand from clasping around her neck. Spots the color of ink dripped into her vision and she began to panic but this was the sort of moment her training had been for. Without thinking her hand found the hilt of her knife and drove the blade into the man's skull through his eye. She was falling and once more the salty water burned her but only for a short while. Next she knew she was on the sun-baked dock, dripping and coughing. Her senses were overcome by the salt and water but she could hear. "You alright?" asked Sheva. "Had to give a little mouth to mouth there."

It felt like she would never stop coughing but after a minute she only wheezed. "What happened?" Claire said through wet lips.

"You went for a swim again after you killed that big fellow. I would have kept him off you but the others had me busy."

Claire got to her feet with Sheva's help and checked her gun. She fired a round into the big man both to ensure his death and make sure the gun still fired, then she checked her mobile device and was amazed to see it still worked.

"Only the best for the BSAA," said Sheva, noticing Claire's astonishment. "We get covered in horrible fluids a lot so we need all the water proofing we can get."

Claire laughed, not being a stranger to strange fluid. "I'll need to clean my gun soon," she said.

"Hopefully we'll get Irving before you need to," said Sheva. "Kirk flew over while you were out. He's thinned the area up ahead so we can move through. He says Alpha Team is locked down in a warehouse where they were planning to try and intercept Irving. Let's see what they've gotten themselves into."

The market up ahead had been flattened by Kirk's firepower. Bullet holes riddled the buildings that remained standing and there were pieces of corpses in the streets. The few townspeople who survived seemed to have been cowed by the assault but were none the less eager to attack Sheva and Claire. Sheva had found a hatchet to use instead of the heavy wrench but was now favoring her gun more.

"There it is," said Sheva, pointing to a tall, muddy brown building. The parking lot in front of it held half a dozen cars arranged so they would have to zigzag through them. Instead they jumped up on the hoods and made their over the cars, avoiding the steel animal traps that had been set between the vehicles. "Who would fall for that?" Sheva asked once they were on the other side, by the building's double doors.

When they were clear of the cars Claire picked up a loose piece of concrete and tossed it towards the nearest trap. It landed on a bare patch of ground and bounced off something metal. "Land mine," said Claire. "Step around the bear traps, step on the bombs."

"Clever," said Sheva, eying the building they were about to enter with suspicion. "Guess we'd better watch our asses in there."

Claire caught Sheva's smile and realized she had been keenly aware of her backside being starred at as they moved along. Once they were inside the building the only light came from holes in the upper walls. The floor above them had collapsed and they took a wooden latter to the top where they were able to enter another wing of the building.

There was a large room littered with the bodies of men in BSAA uniforms. Claire saw them and could only think of used toothpaste tubes.

"Captain!" Sheva shouted, running to a bald man in the same condition as the others only alive and spitting up blood.

"Alomar," the man said as a bloody bubble formed at his lips. Claire stood behind Sheva and frowned, knowing a dead man when she saw one. She peered at him, seeing by his name tag that he was Captain DeChant, leader of Alpha Team. She also saw a black tar-like substance had stained his uniform like it had the others.

"Get this...to headquarters," DeChant said, handing Sheva a cracked CD case.

"Yes, sir," Sheva said. "Hang on, Delta Team has been dispatched. We can get you evaced. What the hell happened here?"

"A B.O.W. Like none we've seen. Irving...knew. Set us up. He escaped but we got this." He tapped the CD case. "Upload it from...downstairs. Stop. Irving."

"DeChant," said Sheva, shaking his limp form. "DeChant! Damn it. We were too late! If we hadn't been messing around this wouldn't have happened!"

"We would have gotten here sooner and died along with them," Claire said. "Now we can get this info to HQ and if we're lucky, nab Irving."

Sheva pursed her lips and shook her head but Claire's logic prevailed and she tucked the CD into her pouch. "Whatever did this is probably still around."

"Let's hope we don't run into it," Claire said. "But if we do we'd better have these. These men won't be needing them now."

Claire picked up the nearest assault rifle and inspected it. The barrel was bent, she noted with no small concern, and she sought a functioning one after removing its magazine. Many of the assault rifles had been broken but soon both women had one. Claire felt good about having the weapons but her sense of security was eroded by the knowledge of how much ammunition Alpha Team had spent.

"Uroboros," whispered Sheva, securing a fresh magazine into her new assault rifle.

"You think so?" Claire asked.

"Who knows. Maybe this disc will shed light on the matter. It might also have a clue about your brother's whereabouts," said Sheva, leading Claire into a long hallway that dripped with more of the black fluid. At the end of the hall was an elevator. Sheva tapped a sign next to it written in a language Claire didn't speak. "Says there's a parking garage and warehouse downstairs. Should be where Alpha Team parked their vehicles. We might meet Delta Team there."

On their way down in the elevator Sheva spoke to someone over her communicator. Claire gleaned that Delta Team was aware of Alpha Team's demise and was now moving to head off Irving. Sheva received orders to upload the data then assist Delta Team. Meanwhile Claire had time to think how nice it would be if Chris were to swoop in and capture Irving. Even if he wasn't forgiven for his desertion, Claire would at least know where he was.

The elevator set them at the end of a short hall which opened up into a room where before them was a door and off to their left was another hall leading to an incinerator room. Claire tried to open the steel double door but found it was locked. She tried to kick it open and only hurt her foot.

"Maybe there's a key," said Sheva, moving towards the incinerator room. She stopped when a wet slithering sound came rushing towards them from the elevator. They tuned to see what appeared to be thousands of black snakes boiling over each other in a group that moved along the ceiling using pipes and struts for support. The writhing blob dropped to the floor and rose up to form a vaguely humanoid shape, one obscured by hundreds of black tendrils.

Sheva ran down the hall to the incinerator and Claire made to follow but the thing shot one of its pseudopods at her, hitting her in the chest and sending her into the wall covered in the black, ropey tentacles. She could hear Sheva shout and her gun fire but her only thoughts were to the squirming things covering her body. They varied in thickness and quickly found their way beneath her clothes and when she shrieked a thick one plunged into her mouth. She was able to keep it from going down her throat but her teeth were unable to breath the tough, rubbery skin.

She flailed and rolled on the ground trying to shake the things off. The tentacles had enveloped her breasts and the ones that went down over her pants had found the space between her legs and filled it, pushing themselves inside her vagina to spread her open. Her arms and hands were enveloped in the tendrils preventing her from getting her pants undone so she could attack the tendrils violating her. She felt another tendril intrude into her anus and she cried out almost spitting out the tentacle inside her mouth.

Her only breath came through her nose and she was able to get to her feet but the tentacles brought her to the ground. Her strength was beginning to fail and so she stopped moving in the hope it would return so she could renew her efforts to get free.

The tentacles seemed content at how deep they'd gotten and were now writhing inside her, sending sensations through Claire's body that disgusted her. She was able to crawl in the direction Sheva had run in and felt like she could attack the tendrils again soon. She had not gone far from the door and while there were tendrils around her head and face she could see there was no sign of the monster or Sheva. She renewed her attempts to pull the tendrils off her body but to no avail, as they seemed to be holding her tighter than before.

She was being constricted by the tendrils around her limbs. They squeezed her breasts tight and were at her throat. Her hands prevented her from being strangled but they could do nothing else. Drool was forming around her mouth as the tentacle inside would not let her close her jaw. One hand left her neck and gripped the tendril in her mouth tight, making it writhe before he tugged it free. Claire locked her jaw and buried her mouth in the crook of her elbow to keep it the tendril from forcing its way back in, meanwhile the ones still inside her began to swell. Claire moaned sharply when they did.

As some of her strength began to return she sensed the other tendrils that hadn't penetrated her were slackening and becoming weaker. One by one she tore them away and threw them to the floor where they laid still. She had to smash the one that had been in her mouth with her fist and once her arms were free to move she pulled down her pants and yanked at the black ropes that had plunged themselves inside her. She let out cries as they slipped from her wet orifices then died from being beaten against the floor.

She found the assault rifle where she had dropped it and once her pants were secure she limped down the incinerator hallway following the trail of dying tendrils and black ooze to where the hall ended at a roll-down door. She grunted from the strain of pulling the door up and when she slipped under it her gun was raised and ready to fire.

The first thing she saw was a large rectangular window at the other end of the room, behind which something large and black was twisting in flames. Casually watching it die was Ada Wong who wore a red, swishing skirt underneath a black tactical vest. She cast a casual glance back at Claire then turned to the monster. Claire almost shouted at her but her attention was drawn to the writhing mass of tendrils on the floor nearby. Beneath them was Sheva.

Claire ran to the struggling woman and pulled the tendril from her mouth, then helped her clear the rest from her body so she could deal with ones that had invaded her. Weakly Sheva rolled towards the wall to deal with the remaining tendrils.

"Ada!" Claire shouted. "What the hell!?" Anger had come upon her so swift and sudden she felt possessed.

Ada turned and smiled. "Oh, don't mention it," she said. "I just happened to be passing through and thought you might need some help. No need to thank me."

Claire kept her gun lowered. She had been taught not to point it at things she had no intention of shooting. "What are you doing here?"

"Nice to see you, too, Claire. What's it been, three years?"

"Three years without so much as a letter," said Claire, regaining some control her voice. "I didn't know if you were dead, in a prison somewhere, or something worse so don't be that way with me."

Ada puffed air through her nose and stepped forward to a console beneath the glass pane and hit a button. The fire inside the room subsided and a roll down door to her right rose while an alarm blared. It shut off when the door was opened completely and a smell like burned rubber filled the air. Ada stepped inside the door and bid Claire to follow. Claire looked back at Sheva who was on her feet and leaning against the wall.

"Come on, I'll show you something," Ada said, and Claire followed her inside the incinerator. On the floor of the long rectangular room was the charred body of a man.

"What the hell..."

"Uroboros," said Ada. "Your friend out there might be interested in seeing this, too." She looked past Claire with a devilish smirk. "Is she as fun as I am?"

"Depends on what you mean by fun," said Claire. "She hadn't caused any bioweapon outbreaks if that's what you mean."

"Neither have I," said Ada, scowling. Her expression then lightened. "I know I said you didn't need to thank me, but some gratitude would be nice. Maybe your partner is more polite."

Sheva entered, carrying her assault rifle and looking as though she had just regained her composure. "Thanks," she said. "Is that..."

"Uroboros, yes, as I was telling Claire here."

"You must be Ada Wong. I've heard a lot about you."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Ada. "This isn't a business you want to be famous in. Maybe it's time I retired." She went past Claire and toward the door where Sheva stood. Ada did not veer from her course and Sheva did not give ground, so the two passed within centimeters.

"I thought you had retired. All that money you must have made selling Las Plagas to terrorists, it's a wonder you're not on some tropical island somewhere."

She had followed Ada out of the incinerator and was trailed by Sheva who remained silent. "Money comes and money goes, dear, what's it to you?" said Ada, pivoting on her toe to face the two other women.

"So you're here to steal Uroboros, I take it? I can't let you do that Ada, not this time."

Ada laughed and turned to leave the room. "I'll let you in on this much, Claire, for old time's sake. Our goals are going to line up very neatly down the road so just be glad I'm here to look out for you and don't get in my way."

Claire pressed her lips shut to keep from sputtering and let the anger she felt drown out everything else. Ada went to a cork board on the wall where numerous keys hung from pegs and she studied the labels before selecting one and taking it from its hook. She walked down the hall, swaying her skirt and somehow managing to not look ridiculous while wearing it and a tactical vest. Claire and Sheva followed with Claire becoming angrier as she watched Ada move and remembered how her body had felt pressed against hers, how her muscles would tense and relax beneath her warm skin and how she always seemed to know what Claire needed when she needed it.

"If our goals do line up," said Sheva. "Then you're after Ricardo Irving, too. It might be best if you came along with us, then."

"We'll see," said Ada, unlocking the door that had thwarted Claire earlier. Behind it was another elevator. The three of them crammed into the tiny space and Ada reached past Claire to push the "up" button. While pulling her hand back she pinched Claire's buttock making her yelp. "I was wondering if you'd been taking care of yourself," said Ada.

"You don't touch me," Claire said. "Ever."

"Why so hostile? I thought we were past this. Plus you chose that other girl in the end, didn't you? Tell me, was she the one to dump you or was it mutual?"

Claire felt her hand ball into a fist but it was caught by Sheva and held down, not that she had room to swing it anyway. "Settle down you two," Sheva said. "This isn't the time or the place for this. We're sort of on the same side it seems so we need to work together."

"Cute thought but I work better alone," said Ada. "We part company at the end of this ride. Don't make it awkward."

"We won't," said Sheva. "We've got our own goals, don't we?" She squeezed Claire's fist and it relaxed.

"Yeah, we do," said Claire. "Ada and I can talk all we want later, can't we?"

"Plenty of time," said Ada. "I hate to say it but it's probably going to be a very long day for all of us."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Claire as the elevator began to slow. "What's going on around here?"

Ada smiled and clucked her tongue. "I would think you had learned to smell trouble by now, but I guess not. Poor Claire."

Claire snorted but kept still. The elevator came to a stop and the door opened into a large garage area where two Humvees were parked. Sheva went directly towards one opening the door and retrieving a lap top from the passenger side. Ada went towards the door at the far end and while Claire followed. Halfway across the room Ada turned and held up a blue grenade.

"You know what this is?" Ada shook the flash-bang grenade in front of Claire's face, who froze upon seeing it. "Don't make me use it on you."

"Let her go, Claire, we don't have time for her," Sheva called from the Humvee.

"Fine," said Claire. "Just...keep out of our way, alright?"

Ada laughed. "Claire, sometimes you're so stupid it's cute."

She was out the door before Claire could think of a retort. She turned and went to unleash her anger on Sheva but the sight of her uploading data through the lap top brought her back to reality. -You're not a teenage girl, drop the B.S.- Claire told herself. "Is it working?" she asked Sheva.

"Yes, HQ should have the information shortly. I'll let them know it's coming."

Claire checked over the Humvees for weapons and ammunition. Alpha Team had taken it all with them, but she did find a few canteens and water bottles, plus some trail mix. She ate a few handfuls and downed a bottle of water while Sheva did the same after conversing with the headquarters through her headset.

"They still want us to go after Irving. We're going to push him into Delta Team or they'll push him into us. At least we're a little better armed now," said Sheva.

Claire nodded, checking her rifle and remembering the salt water bath her pistol had received. She found a cleaning kit in one of the Humvees and as fast as she could gave her pistol a cleansing while Sheva checked the vehicles themselves and found someone had disabled them.

"That's odd," Sheva said. "Maybe they thought Alpha Team would try and escape. Explains the locked door."

"Ada explains the locked door, and the Humvees being disabled. I'll bet that computer you just used also sent her a copy of whatever you uploaded, too," said Claire.

"You've really got a problem with her," said Sheva. "Was it that bad?"

Claire holstered her pistol. "I guess I should have expected it. Nothing she does should surprise or offend me, it's how she is. But three years...no word from her at all. And it's not like she couldn't have found me."

"Right, but maybe she didn't want to get you in trouble. You were also with someone else, as far as she knew," said Sheva, for the first time sparking irritation in Claire.

"Pfft. Like that would have stopped her. She could have at least let me know she was alive. Now she shows up in the middle of a situation like this and tries to act like we're friends. It's just more of her stupid head games."

Sheva nodded and rubbed her arms while leaning against the Humvee. She seemed upset over something, and Claire felt small and stupid for not having spotted the problem earlier. "I...don't want to complicate things for you, but..." Sheva said, quietly. Claire looked at Sheva's face. Her calm demeanor from before was now showing visible cracks. Her forehead was sweating and she seemed shaky.

"What's wrong?" Claire asked.

"That...that thing, it got you, too, you should know what it felt like."

Claire shrugged before she could stop herself but understood. "Oh...I guess it was pretty gross, huh?"

"That's putting it mildly."

Sheva stood with her arms cross and was rigid as stone. Claire licked her lips and stepped closer to her. "I think I can help make the feeling go away," she said, laying her hand on Sheva's shoulder and making her melt from stone to flesh again. She guided her to the rear seat of the Humvee where Claire sat down and pulled Sheva close.

"Will this really help? I feel strange," said Sheva.

"Trust me, after something like that a human body is best," said Claire.

Sheva's eyebrow went up and she looked in the direction Ada had gone but her attention was only astray for a moment. Their lips met and Claire felt Sheva's soft pink tongue slip into her mouth erasing the memory of the violent, thrashing tendril. She could taste Sheva's mouth, taste her human breath, her human saliva, feel her human lips and teeth on the tip of her tongue. The smell of the monster lingered but was overpowered by the other woman's scent.

Sheva pulled back from the kiss and began undoing the top of Claire's pants. She looked between Claire's face and lap as though she might say something but seemed to think better of it. Claire smiled and enjoyed the light feeling that had come over her while helping Sheva get her pants off.

Sheva sent Claire's pants to the floor and from her pouch she pulled out the dildo. She looked at it then at Claire before smiling sheepishly. "Maybe later? Promise?"

Claire felt a twinge of disappointment but understood and nodded and undid her vest so she could pull up her shirt. She let Sheva nuzzle her chest and suck at her breasts for a moment before gently guiding her head down her body where her tongue was able to find the soft spot between her legs. She let the calming tension flood over her like a warm blanket and rested back on her elbows trying not to think too hard about the men who had ridden in the vehicle.

She came while thinking about Sheva's backside and allowed herself to stroke the woman's short brown hair. "I think you need this more than I do," said Claire, sliding off the Humvee and letting Sheva get her pants down before pushing her into the Humvee front first.

Claire moistened her fingers in her mouth and slipped them into Sheva's pussy while kicking her legs apart at the feet as far as Sheva's pants would allow. Claire admired the bare, round buttocks as she worked her fingers into Sheva, feeling for the sweet spot. Sheva's sharp intake of breath told her she had found it and she applied more pressure, working slow and firm. With her other hand, she felt up Sheva's back, beneath her shirt, squeezing the muscles and letting the woman feel her palm and fingers. She lubed her fingers a second time, more to taste Sheva than make them slippery, and pushed them in again, deeper.

Sheva came hard and her arms scrambled for something to hang on to inside the Humvee. Finding nothing she gripped the hard metal seat and moaned. Claire felt her become slicker and slowly worked her fingers out enjoying the softest part of her for as long as she could. "Feel better?" she asked.

"Yes," Sheva said with a heavy breath. "It's like taking a shower."

"With any luck Delta Team will have Irving before we run into any more trouble," said Claire.

"I think we used up all our luck," said Sheva, getting her clothes back in order.

"That's fine so long as we don't run out of bullets," said Claire, and she helped Sheva gather their gear before they left the garage with bounces in their steps.

**To be continued...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four.**

Behind the warehouse was a maze of train cars. Some had been stacked two high with townspeople having taking position atop them to throw sharp objects down on Claire and Sheva. When a crossbow bolt nearly pierced Claire's thigh she and Sheva took cover behind the containers and began moving forward more cautiously.

As Claire wondered about what direction Ada had gone in she also wished she had not been so hostile towards her. -You were more upset about her not talking to you than you were about her selling the Plaga parasite,- she chided herself. -Get it together.-

"Reloading," Claire said, changing the magazine in her pistol. Her rifle was slung over her back and Sheva had done the same with hers under Claire's advice. While they were low on pistol ammunition they might want to save their heavy firepower for later. Given what had killed Alpha Team there was no telling what they could run into she had reasoned.

As the two made their way through the train car maze the number of townspeople began to drop off. Claire thought Irving might know he was being pursued but did not know by how many or from what direction so resistance had been scattered.

-I wish Chris was here,- she thought. -He's got the head for this war stuff, not me.-

"How are you feeling?" Claire asked Sheva as they went up a set of concrete steps towards a tall white building. Sheva was ahead of her and she stopped, looking first at Claire then over the ground they had covered since the warehouse.

"Better, now," said Sheva. "The train yard shouldn't be..."

Her voice trailed off as the sound of a helicopter with engine problems drowned out her voice. "Look, there!" Claire shouted, pointing towards the warehouse. A ball of black smoke and flame was heading towards them. As the helicopter flew over their heads they could see it was surrounded by flying creatures.

Sheva's radio crackled and both women could hear Kirk's panicked shouts. "Mayday, mayday! We're are under attack by flying B. ! We are going down!"

"Kirk! Kirk! What's..." Sheva looked at Claire with an ashen expression, her radio silent. "Flying B. ."

Claire nodded, saddened but not terribly surprised at the helicopter's fate. She reached for her own mobile device. "Hunnigan, do you copy?"

"Here, Claire. What is it? No need to update me, I'm linked into the BSAA comm lines."

"Good, that's what I called about. I'd like to hear their transmissions as well; can you relay them?"

"Sure thing."

Hunnigan did what Claire asked in time for her to hear the transmission from the BSAA headquarters. "All units proceed to the crash site," came a man's voice into Claire's ear. "All units proceed to the crash site. Use extreme caution."

"That means us," said Sheva. "We should be able to find it from the smoke."

Claire nodded and kept her reservations about going on another support mission in check. It took a special kind of person to attack B. and she felt for Kirk and the other men but the notion of Irving slipping away and this being a waste of time made her anxious.

They were through the white building and out into the street and had not gone far when from behind them they heard a sound like a football stadium being emptied. "Off the street, now!" Sheva shouted, darting for the nearest building. She threw her shoulder into the door and bounced off, then opted to jump through an open window. Claire followed.

Sheva was crouched on the floor by the window when Claire came in on top of her. Sheva's shouts were like whispers under the din of stomping feet and shouts outside. Claire took a spot next to the door and felt the ground and building shake around her as hundreds of people came running past.

"HQ, this is Sheva, do you read?" she whispered into her communicator.

"Copy that, Sheva, report." The sound was small and barely audible under the noise of feet but it made Claire cringe.

"A few hundred, maybe more, hostiles are converging on the crash site. We're pinned down. They haven't seen us."

"Keep hidden, skirt the crash site, let Delta Team handle it," said the voice from headquarters.

"They're not going to be able to hold a force like that off for any amount of time," said Claire, trying to simultaneously be silent and make herself heard above the noise. "Those are Plaga victims, not people."

"I know the Delta Team commander, he's no fool," said Sheva. "But neither was DeChant. We have to help them."

"How?"

"I don't..." She was interrupted by a body colliding with the wall, followed by another. It was men being shoved into the building by the stampede. "I don't know," Sheva said, regaining her focus. "We'll just have to assess the situation once we get there."

"Let's get moving then," Claire said, eager to channel her anxiety into useful activity. Sheva took the lead again keeping low over the floor and heading up a flight of stairs. The building went up three floors and they had to climb some debris to reach the roof but once they were up they could see the much of the town.

The cloud of black smoke was poking up from a scrapyard surrounded by junked rail cars. It was in the direction of their original destination and Claire saw there were many places Delta Team could set up under cover to hold even a large force at bay for a brief period. They would need every advantage as the streets bellow were thronged with people.

"Up for some jumping?" asked Sheva.

Claire's legs ached at the thought but she said "Sure," with enthusiasm and watched Sheva take a running start and jump over the edge of the building and into another roof. Her powerful, lithe legs absorbed the shock and she turned to wait for Claire who was regretting her bravado.

Claire took twice the running start Sheva had and cursed every bit of junk food she had ever eaten and every day she had skipped working out. Her fear of falling and breaking her legs was enough to overcome her body's shortcomings and she made the jump, rolling into the landing and coming up to her feet more gracefully than she had expected.

"Good work," Sheva said and slapped Claire on the buttocks. She then jogged across the roof and found a plank had been set as a bridge between it and the next one over. Claire was happy to see there were many of these impromptu bridges like there had been near the execution ground.

Inside the buildings were more infected people only these seemed more zombie-like than the others. They lacked any sort of cunning and were slow to rouse but once they realized someone was nearby they attacked. Many were women but there were none younger than their late teens.

"Looks like the parasite causes brain damage in some," said Sheva after kicking a man down a flight of stairs. He had been swaying in place at the top of the stairwell and never saw Sheva.

When rooftop travel became impossible they went down to the streets and kept to the side alleys which were also populated by brain-damaged Plaga victims, some of whom did not even rise to attack. When they reached the fence that encircled the scrapyard they found the gate open and no one in sight. "Looks like we beat them here," said Sheva. "Guess our bird's eye view helped."

Claire was less confident. Inside the scrapyard was the burning helicopter. It had gone down nose-first and was gutted by flames.

"Oh, Kirk..." Sheva said. A short distance from the burning helicopter was a pile of tires, also in flames. Atop them was a charred body, its only distinctive feature was a flight helmet.

"Shit, they've been here already," said Claire, realizing too late they had walked into the open without making sure the area was clear. Half a dozen men on dirt bikes with engines that whined like insects came riding from their hiding places to circle Claire and Sheva. They swung chains over their heads which they whipped at the two women, forcing them towards the helicopter. Between the heat and their constant attacks shooting them proved difficult. Claire was about to risk being hit by a chain to make a good shot when one of the chains wrapped around Sheva's ankle. It yanked her off her feet and she was dragged away.

Without thinking much Claire ran into the circle of dirt bikes and kicked at the first one to come close, knocking him off the bike. She shot him in the head then used the brief gap in the circle to take aim at the man dragging Sheva. Her bullet hit him in the shoulder and caused him to dump his bike, which crashed into a wrecked car leaving Sheva motionless in the dirt.

From the gate came more men on dirt bikes and they were followed by a crowd of people, all carrying weapons. Claire swapped her pistol for the rifle she carried and was overcome by euphoria and nausea. She was like a balloon rising and about to burst but when the sound of Humvee engines came roaring over the scrapped metal the air left her and she felt heavy and afraid.

Two Humvees fitted with .50 caliber guns swung around in front of her with their backs towards the gate. Six men got out while two manned the big guns and directed their fire towards the crowd streaming through the gate.

Claire had sorely underestimated the BSAA's abilities. Each man fired in regular, smooth intervals, scoring a fatal shot each time. The men on the big guns cut down the crowd pouring in from the gate like they were corn in field. The gunfire lasted only a minute or so and it seemed the group that had come was not directly linked to the massive one they had seen from the rooftops.

One of the men, tall, bald, with dark skin, ran over to Sheva while the others moved to form a secure perimeter. Claire came up behind the man who was asking Sheva if she was injured. "Josh, this is Claire," Sheva said, after showing him she wasn't hurt badly.

"Ah, good to meet you," Stone said, turning around. "Captain Josh Stone, leader of Delta Team. We didn't expect to find you here."

"We were headed this way to get Irving," said Claire. "There's more of them headed this way."

"Yes, HQ says we need to move soon, but there's been a change in plans," said Stone. "We're going to recover the bodies of Alpha Team and do what we can to slow the majini. You two are to move ahead and capture Irving or at least keep him from escaping."

Claire nodded, her body still too flushed with adrenaline to process much information. "Did you say majini?"

"Yes, HQ was able to review some of the data you two uploaded and that's what these people are being called. Let me see your mobile device, I have something for you."

She handed it to him and he slipped a small data card into one of the ports. "Downloaded this from HQ before we got here, it might come in handy for you," Stone said, handing the device back to Claire.

She looked at the screen and saw a document that appeared to have been hastily written by an intelligence agent boiling down a larger document for a field agent such as herself to read. Most of it told her what she already knew but she stopped scrolling when a photo of her brother came up. It was a file photo but beneath it were lines of text indicating Chris Redfield had intended to come to Kijuju to intercept Irving himself.

"If my brother is after Irving then the guy doesn't stand a chance, but we'd better get going and help," said Claire.

"He may be headed for the mines past the train yard," Stone said. "That file I gave you should work with your device's map application."

"Thanks," said Claire, and turned to Sheva who seemed eager to move now that Delta Team was accounted for. "Ready?"

Sheva nodded, taking the data chip and plugging it into her own mobile device. "The train yard isn't far," she said. "See you around, Josh. Be careful."

"You, too," he said, and Claire and Sheva jogged in the direction of the train cars she had seen from the house farther into the town.

The scrapyard bled seamlessly into the train yard with piles of junk giving way to freight cars. Some were off their tracks while others were rusted to them. A steel tower that held utility wires and radio antennas towered over everything. They were between two train cars when Claire stopped. "I hear something," she said.

"Sounds like dogs."

The barking was not far off and coming closer. "Crap, run!" Claire said. Sheva looked confused but followed Claire's lead to where a train car blocked their path and they were forced around. Claire swore when two of the biggest dogs she had ever seen came loping down the long space between cars towards them. She fired first but Sheva seemed to hesitate, perhaps thinking they were just dogs but she quickly caught on and fired her pistol.

The one on the left died when its head exploded but the other began to to shake as though going into a seizure when Claire and Sheva's bullets tore into it. It split in half down the middle, the sides of its head lolled like jowls and the opening in the middle displayed rows of misshapen teeth. From the opening between them flailed a pair of tentacles. Claire focused her shots at its center destroying something vital inside it.

There was more barking, and the sound of paws on loose stones. Claire could hear them scuffling as they crawled beneath the train cars. "Move, we'll be surrounded!" she shouted, running over the dead dogs. The space between the cars led to an open area where several mutant dogs had come. They were faster, harder to hit, and they took more bullets to kill; Claire knew she and Sheva couldn't stand and fight them. She kept running, looking for an opportunity to turn the tide of the fight when Sheva pulled her towards a pile of rotting timber frames left against an overturned rail car. Sheva jumped to the top of it and turned to clasp Claire's hand as she was not able to leap as high.

Claire felt jaws nip the back of her thigh and heard her pants tear away. Sheva hauled her up with a great pull and fired her gun as one of the smaller dogs was able to make the jump. It whimpered and fell as it began to mutate, an action it didn't complete as Sheva killed it from her perch.

Claire got to her feet and looked down to see nearly two dozen dogs, each twice the size of what they should be, running around and barking. Some tried to jump up and the ones that looked like they could make it were killed by Sheva. Claire examined her pants and saw the leg was hanging in tatters, threatening to trip her. She used her knife to cut the pant leg short and in her haste cut it extremely high.

She stood and tossed the pant leg to the dogs who fought over it briefly before realizing it wasn't red meat. "Just the one leg?" Sheva asked. "Kind of an odd look, but it works."

Claire looked down at her legs and had to agree with Sheva. "This is how it starts," Claire said. "First it's a pant leg, then it's your pants and before you know it you're buck naked. I'm keeping all the clothes I can."

Sheva laughed and scaled the top of the train car with Claire not far behind. There was a board set atop the train car, one long enough to extend to the next car over and the women used it to cross over before kicking it down, ending their dog problem for the immediate future. Checking her map on the mobile device, Claire directed Sheva over the train car tops past a debris barrier the dogs could not scale. "Here we are," she said, as they stood over a mine shaft.

It was a wood frame tunnel that led into the side of a rocky hill. They climbed down from the top of the car and Claire saw it only went in a short distance before stopping at a freight elevator. "Your flashlight work?" Sheva asked.

Claire took the palm-sized light from her belt and touched the on switch. Nothing happened. "Looks like the water killed it." She laughed, seeing her mobile device worked perfectly and her pistol had yet to jam despite only the quick cleaning she had given it.

"Guess you'll have to stick close to me then if it's dark," said Sheva, stepping closer to Claire and putting her arm around her waist as the elevator went down. "Actually, that pasty white leg of yours should be all the light we'll need."

Claire looked down and saw her leg was in apparent need of sun being a bright white where it wasn't bloody or scraped.

"I haven't had much time to hit the beach lately," she said, remembering the one time she and Ashley had been able to go to a beach together. Claire thought she'd looked foolish in a red bikini and gun belt, but Ashley had insisted she was sexier that way.

"I know a few places. Maybe I'll show them to you after we're done here," said Sheva.

"Sounds fun," said Claire doubting they would get the chance but leaning closer to Sheva and imagining it anyway. "Gives us a reason to nab Irving faster."

"Are you worried about your brother?" Sheva asked.

"I'm always worried about my brother," she said. "But he lives for this kind of stuff. Me, I kind of fell into it."

"You could say I was born into it," Sheva said. "I lost my parents when I was young. Later on I found out it was because of another one of Umbrella's little accidents. I grew up attached to a guerrilla army and joined the BSAA when I found out the truth about their deaths."

"That's Umbrella for you, making friends and orphans all over the world," said Claire. "Me and Chris are orphans. He basically raised me until he joined the Air Force, then he got into police work for a little while. I was halfway through college when I got the bright idea to go looking for him in Raccoon after he disappeared the first time."

"Went looking for your brother and found Ada Wong," said Sheva, souring Claire's mood.

"Right," said Claire. She pulled away from Sheva as the elevator slowed to a stop. "I think the BSAA might know more about my love life than I do."

"I wasn't trying...it was in a report I had to read," Sheva said, sounding as though she'd broken something. "I'm sorry, I'm really not trying to be nosy."

"No, it's fine," said Claire, believing Sheva despite being irritated. "If I'm getting annoyed when people just say her name then maybe I'm the one with the problem."

"Well, I'm still sorry," said Sheva. "And I'm also sorry to be beating a dead horse, but do you really think she's here to steal Uroboros? From who? For who? Crap, I should have said something about her to Josh..."

The tunnel in front of them led down into a dark hole. Claire could smell motor oil, water, and other harsh chemicals she could not identify. Sheva's light cast a dim glow on the black rock walls and Claire took the opportunity to refresh her magazines. "I'm sure we'll see just how helpful she plans on being sooner or later," said Claire. "Just remember, all you need to know about Ada is she didn't help you with those tentacle things. Probably thought you'd enjoy it."

"She sounds interesting," said Sheva.

Claire kept behind Sheva and boosted her over a ledge that blocked their way, being sure to keep both hands firm on her buttocks. Sheva held Claire's hands for a second longer than needed when she helped her up in turn. The mine shaft was all sharp rocks and splintered boards. When they did find a light that wasn't attached to Sheva's shirt it was a lamp at the opening to a tunnel that led into a pit that had been dug down from the surface. Sunlight bore down on them making their dark-adjusted eyes flutter and squint.

Claire spied a pile of sacks near a scaffold in the center of the pit, and beyond that next to a ladder was a wooden cart that looked like it might offer at least a level surface. Claire swore loudly when a dozen majini came out from tunnels on the level above them brandishing mining tools.

"Damn, those sacks looked comfy," said Sheva, eliciting a grin from Claire who had been thinking the same thing.

The men jumped down and rushed towards the two women. Sheva aimed at their heads and chests while Claire took a few down at the legs, making their fellows trip over them. Gun smoke and the smell of blood filled the air as the men were butchered by bullets. Those who crawled forward were finished off by Claire who found a shovel and brought the blade down on the backs of necks and skulls. Nearly out of ammunition for her pistol, she picked up a light ax one of the majini had dropped and looked to scale the the ladder leading to a level near the top of the pit.

"Keep me covered, I'll secure the top of the ladder," said Claire, climbing slowly with the ax in one hand. Sheva's bullets came in steady intervals and when Claire reached the top there were two wounded majini to deal with. She killed one but her ax got stuck in his head, leaving the other once with chance to grab her. He was clumsy and she ducked under him, lifting and using his own momentum to send him over the edge and down to where Sheva was. Claire signaled for Sheva to come up, feeling the burn from where the man's fingers had gripped her and pulled the skin on her arm.

More majini barred their way, coming at them in pairs and sometimes threes. Claire kept her ax, letting Sheva disable the armed ones before she killed them. The ones who did not have weapons, she got on the ground by breaking knee caps then finishing them as she had the others. They wound they way through another tunnel which led upward a short distance to another elevator which Claire entered and leaned against the rear wall.

"How are we for bullets?" asked Sheva. "I'm low on forty-fives."

"Same here," said Claire. "We'll have to ask Captain Stone if he's got more next time we see him."

Sheva pushed the button on the elevator and went over to Claire as it rose. She lifted Claire's head up by the chin and planted a kiss on her lips, then around her cheek and down her neck. Claire let her ax fall and gripped the small of Sheva's back, sliding her hands down over the woman's buttocks while her lips once again became locked. Sheva's mouth pulled at hers frantically and her hands went around behind her to pull her in.

Claire opted to send one hand down the back of Sheva's pants and the other up her shirt, where it awkwardly tried to reach and cup a breast. Sheva pulled back to let Claire get a squeeze in, while getting her own hands up Claire's shirt and vest.

The elevator came to a stop and something like a bat flew in, only much larger. It was making a squeaking noise and Sheva moved away, shouting to take cover low on the elevator floor. Claire, ax in hand, swung at it, connecting and knocking the thing into the elevator wall. Wings were flapping and something with teeth was flailing and biting but two more blows from the ax put it on the ground. A third stopped it from moving.

"Good Lord," Sheva said, shining her light on it. It lie in the shadows of the elevator where rays from the lowering sun didn't reach.

It was a B.O.W. It reminded Claire of an undersea tube worm, only it had wings. She hooked it with the ax and tossed it outside in the daylight where they could get a better look. Her impression of it didn't change, but she now thought it looked a bit like the things that had harried Kirk's chopper. She looked up, expecting to see a swarm of them but only saw a few crows.

"What is it?" asked Sheva.

"Looks like one of things that took down the chopper," said Claire. "It has crappy timing, too."

Sheva kicked it. "Damn thing. I guess we shouldn't be wasting time anyway. Look at that."

Before them was a tall square building made from metal sheets. It overlooked a long dirt road that skirted a giant rock crusher and wound its way around a vast pit mine. Claire could see such roads snaking their way all over and her mind came to the same conclusion she supposed Sheva's had, that if Irving were nearby he would be in the building before them.

A long metal stair led up to the building's side door and Claire cringed with sound it made as it shook, announcing their coming. The door had no lock and she burst in after making sure Sheva was close behind her.

Somehow they had surprised Ricardo Irving.

He had been sitting at a thin wooden table covered in papers and maps, his greasy blond head resting on his arms. When Claire came in he jerked up, eyes wide, and Claire noticed he reached for a piece of paper but then thought it better to pretend as though he didn't care about it. He scrambled back from the table despite Claire's orders for him to not move. When he drew a gun she nearly shot him.

"Hold it right there!" he shouted, his voice sounding like a Saturday morning cartoon villain doing an impression of Rizzo, the rat Muppet. "Nobody move or else!"

"Drop the gun or we'll shoot," said Claire.

"Maybe you oughta drop yours! This here is private property and I don't remember ordering strippers."

"Why you little...! Drop the gun or I'm dropping you," said Claire, now remembering that killing a human being was still different than killing one infected with a B.O.W., even if it was someone like Irving.

"You don't need knees to talk, Irving," said Sheva, lowering her gun towards his pinstripe pants. "Or balls."

"Hey, hey! All bullcrap aside, no shootin' for the nuts, okay? I don't threaten to blow yer tits off, do I?"

"You've got to three," said Claire. "Then we'll see whose bits get blown off. One, two..."

The window behind Irving smashed inward and something landed on the floor. Claire shielded her eyes almost before it hit and waited for the reality-altering bang that gave flash-bang grenades half their namesake. Instead a hissing sound filled her ears followed by more breaking glass. She heard Sheva shout, and opened her eyes to see the room was full of white smoke.

Something moved behind Irving. It was a blur of dark fabric. A hand reached from it to pull Irving back and he went without a fight. Claire fired at the figure, as did Sheva, but it rolled to the side, whirling its cloak and making its body hard to aim at. It covered the short distance between them before they could react and grabbed Sheva's gun while knocking Claire's from her hands with an artful kick.

The cloaked figure twisted in midair, sending Sheva into the table and breaking it. Claire pulled her knife and crouched in preparation for a lunging attack but the cloaked figure was too fast. It used Claire's leg as a step up and brought its knee under Claire's chin. She was unconscious when she hit the back wall.

"Come on, kill 'em. Hell, I'll do it for ya."

It was Irving's voice. Claire's eyes opened like old shutters and the room spun. Her jaw hurt and it felt like bone or teeth had been cracked.

She was lying on a table. The room looked different, but she could see the mine from the window. Sheva's limp body had been set on a dusty couch. The cloaked figure stood over her, behind it was Irving holding his gun. "Stand aside," he said, and was struck hard in the chest.

"Stay out of this," said the cloaked figure from under a gas mask shaped a like a bird's face, the filter being a long, bill-like protrusion. Apparently Irving had not backed off enough, for the figure turned and abruptly shunted him out the door while he protested loudly.

The figure returned to stand over her and removed its hood and mask.

She had a round, pale face. Her hair was long and blond and tied back into a ponytail. She removed her cloak to reveal a tight, nubile form poured into a skintight one-piece suit. "Who..." Claire said, her jaw hurting, making it hard to tell where she'd seen the woman before.

The woman looked down at her with a blank expression and pained eyes. Her pale lips parted as if she was about to speak but could not. Claire's eyes fell to the woman's chest where between her breasts was what she first thought was a large red pendant but was some kind of red capsule imbedded in the woman's skin. The woman's hand fell on Claire's face, and she struggled but found her hands had been duct taped behind her back. "What do you want?" Claire asked. "Who are you?"

The woman's mouth opened and her eyes went wide. Claire thought she was about to vomit but suddenly her mouth closed and her face contorted into a snarl. She dealt Claire a sharp slap. "Turn back or die," she nearly barked. "You don't belong here."

She said nothing else and picked up her cloak to leave but forgot her mask. Claire watched her go, noting how her buttocks swayed against the tight cloth of her strange suit. She heard the woman saying something to Irving who was threatening her but being ignored.

"Hey," said Sheva, and Claire turned. Slowly Sheva got up from the couch, not having been bound. "You alright? What the hell was that all about?"

"I'm not sure," Claire said as Sheva freed her. The located their weapons nearby and once they were secure Claire looked to her mobile device. "Oh..."

She was looking at the photo of a woman identical to the one she had just seen. The image was the one Chris had shown the BSAA and claimed was a recent picture of his dead partner. A swipe of Claire's thumb brought up an image of Jill Valentine created some years ago. She had a round face, brown hair, and beautiful blue eyes. Her skin was fair but not pale like the blond woman's had been, and her eyes, while heavy, were determined and not laden with agony. Still it was clear the two women were the same.

"What is it?" Sheva asked, standing close to Claire to see her mobile device's screen. "Oh...oh my God, that was her! She's alive, just like your brother said."

Claire's nod was slow, her shock more from how she had found Jill Valentine rather than that she was alive and her brother had not been wrong. "Well this is confusing," said Claire.

"I'll say," said Sheva. "Why is she helping Irving? Why the hell didn't she kill us for that matter?"

Claire felt the room begin to spin and didn't think it was entirely her rattled brain's fault. "Ugh. I don't know. I'm going to report this to Hunnigan. You should check upstairs to see if Irving was stupid enough to leave anything behind that will tell us something."

"Can do," said Sheva. "Maybe there's an old bottle of Safsprin lying around, too."

"Hunnigan, it's Claire. There's been a development."

She explained what had happened since their last communication, leaving out some of the more personal details. Hunnigan asked her twice if she was sure the woman she had seen was Jill Valentine and Claire settled for convincing her it was at least the same woman in the new photographs being circulated.

"Listen, whoever she is she just took you both down and I don't think it's smart to count on her sparing you a second time," said Hunnigan.

"Gee, thanks," said Claire, listening to Sheva search the room above them where the fight had been.

"You're going to need better firepower in any case," said Hunnigan. "Luckily I think I can arrange something."

"Finally," said Claire. "Let us know where the drop coordinates will be and we'll get there ASAP."

"I don't think it will be a drop," Hunnigan said. "I've been in communication with the BSAA and there's a weapons dealer not far from you I think we can make a hasty arrangement with. I'll talk to you as soon as it's set up."

"Right, keep me posted," said Claire, trusting Hunnigan would arrange something helpful.

Sheva came down the stairs holding a rolled up map. She unfurled it in front of Claire and pointed at it. "It looks like Irving is heading for an oil field beyond the marshlands, near the river. We can corner him there if he doesn't have access to a boat."

"Okay," said Claire. "Hunnigan says we..." Sheva suddenly dropped the map and stepped in to kiss Claire. Her gun fell to the floor with a thud and she let herself be pushed back into the couch where Sheva straddled her.

"This can't wait," said Sheva, lifting her shirt over her head, giving Claire the opportunity to lay both hands on her light brown breasts that bounced with Sheva's movements. With her shirt off Sheva pulled Claire's head to her chest, cradling it and letting herself be nuzzled. Claire could almost feel the pain in her jaw receding, not going away but becoming background noise. Her tongue came out and gave Sheva's dark nipples playful licks that made them bounce, and her hands enjoyed the spring in Sheva's buttocks and thighs.

Sheva climbed down off her and knelt on the floor, removing from her pouch the dildo she had promised earlier. She moved it over her lips before taking the tip into her mouth, wetting it, then plunging it in deeper. Claire felt like something had snapped in her and she removed her pants quickly. She was about to remove her panties but Sheva yanked them aside and set her tongue to work between the soft folds of flesh that had been beneath them while Claire undid her vest.

Claire didn't think she could get any wetter when Sheva began to probe her with her fingers then teased her with the dildo. Claire had her vest open and pulled up her shirt, showing Sheva her bare breasts as she played with them.

The dildo entered her slowly, her muscles contracting at the intrusion at first then relaxing as Sheva twisted the object and slid it in deeper. Claire let out a moan, her head rolling back and her eyes closing. She felt Sheva's free hand over her stomach and chest, finding the breast she wasn't already fondling herself while the dildo was worked in deeper then out slowly with a slight twist.

Claire's mind was clear. All she could think of was her impeding orgasm, nothing else mattered and she knew once it was over her mind would be sharp as a blade and her senses keener, her pain duller. When she started to orgasm, Sheva sped up her movements with the dildo, working it like a small pump. She pulled it out halfway through the orgasm and Claire felt full lips and a hot, wet tongue on her pussy. It caused her orgasm to take on a new life, less intense but longer lasting. Claire road it like a fast moving river, bobbing up and down, breathing on long, deep draws of air. By the time it wound down, Sheva had moved backward and pulled her own pants down and was now using the dildo on herself.

Claire watched her for a while, rubbing her damp, soft flesh through her underwear and feeling drained. She sat forward and bid Sheva to face away from her on all fours, leaving the dildo where Claire could reach it. With one hand squeezing Sheva's buttocks, her other worked the dildo slowly, putting on a twist as Sheva had done for her.

"Faster," Sheva breathed. "Harder."

Claire obeyed, determining over a few thrusts that Sheva meant what she'd said. She increased the speed and force, hearing the wet sounds the object made as it went in and out under Sheva's whimpers and moans. When she came, she let out what was almost a growl and gripped the hard metal floor with her palms before sinking down on her stomach, the dildo leaving her with a loud wet noise.

Claire wiped the dildo on a clean bit of cloth and got herself dressed after returning it to Sheva's pouch. "Sorry," said Sheva as she dressed. "It's just that you looked so damn sexy on that table...and that other woman..."

"I know," said Claire, remembering Jill's curves and how they were hugged by the suit she had worn. She had also not cooled down from being warmed up in the elevator and the fight seemed to have made it worse. "We'll have to move quick if we want to make up the lost time."

Sheva wobbled when she got to her feet, but soon steadied herself. "Should be no problem," said Sheva. "I feel like I could take on anything now."

"We might have to, look," said Claire, pointing out the window. The mining pit was inhabited by a large number of scattered majini, most of whom seemed to be waiting for Claire and Sheva to come to them while a few were making their way towards the building carrying mining tools.

"Is that dynamite they're holding?" Sheva asked and Claire could see more than a few did carry what looked like sticks of dynamite they intended to light and throw.

"Well that's nice," Claire said, wryly. "Oh well, you know the old saying, explosions don't have any friends."

"I think you mean fire, but good point. This should be a blast, then."

Claire pinched Sheva's arm playfully. "None of that. Let's go have some pun."

She scooted forward to avoid a kick to her rear and was followed outside to be greeted by a chorus of majini shouts.

**To be continued...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five.**

Ada walked down the dusty street like a fashion model on a runway only she never turned and her eyes darted in every direction. She was smiling, imagining that what incensed the mob behind her was the sway of her hips and the thought of what they might do to her if they caught her made her shiver.

When she felt them come close she aimed her grapple gun at a nearby roof and fired. The hook, made from an ultra-light alloy arced over the edge of the roof where it snagged. Ada flicked a switch and held onto the handle as tight as she could, enjoying the chest-clenching moment when the hook might break free or the gun be yanked from her hand. Neither happened and she was hoisted upwards by the tiny, powerful motor towards the rooftop while improvised weapons were thrown up at her to clatter off the side of the building.

The roof was clear and the mob bellow was having trouble entering the building so Ada did not hurry to take a good look at her surroundings. Her attention was drawn to the sound of a helicopter with engine trouble and she looked to see it veering across the sky in a plume of black smoke while surrounded by flying creatures. The Kipepeo had been deployed, it seemed, and she wondered what new types of B. she would see soon. Part of her hoped she would see something new and interesting and not just more violent variations of previous Plaga mutants. She turned, as if to express this thought to a partner but no one was there and she frowned.

-Claire and her new friend will probably find their way to that chopper,- thought Ada. -And they'll probably get themselves into a mess.- She adjusted a small device in her tactical vest and the ear piece she wore started to report mens' voices shouting orders or screaming.

She removed the mobile phone from her vest and examined the screen. According to the blue blip on the map the item she was looking for should be visible from where she was standing, however it was not. As much as she enjoyed danger Ada wanted to have more than her pistol and grapple gun when traipsing about a place like Kijuju.

When she heard the majini coming up from bellow she started across the roof and jumped over the edge, landing on the roof of another building with no trouble. The majini who had pursued her shouted in anger and tried to jump after her only they fell short and broke on the ground. Other majini were entering the building she was in from bellow so she jumped to another after letting them get halfway up. On the other roof she scanned harder for the item she sought, knowing it would be easy to spot if it survived the drop intact.

She shook her head when she realized her thoughts were on Claire and not searching for the item she needed. -You knew you'd run into her sooner or later, especially here, so focus. You'll see her again soon enough.-

And what would happen then, Ada wondered? Claire was a naive idealist. One of the good guys, as many might say. Ada knew how those people thought and did not see how someone like Claire could ever forgive her selling the Las Plagas parasite after she stole it from Los Illuminados. Claire would blame her for what was happening in Kijuju despite the fact it would have happened one way or another.

Ada's fists clenched but she knew how those people thought.

It was a relief when she spied the black synthetic crate she wanted. It was on top of a squat two story building isolated from the others at the juncture of three streets. Ada saw the majini that had been after her were still in one of the other buildings which left the street clear, however she remained where she was to ensure there would be no surprises.

As she looked, there was a scream from inside the building on which the crate had fallen. The two French doors that led out to the small balcony came open and a thin white woman with long blond hair, wearing a short black dress came running out. "Help me!" she screamed, not having seen Ada. "Somebody, please!"

She fell against a railing and was about to jump when a shirtless man in bicycle shorts came out and dragged her back inside by the arm. Her screams became hoarse and Ada felt a tickle in the back of her neck while her eyes darted between the crate she sought and the scene bellow. -That was odd,- she thought. -Looks like a damsel in distress. Just the thing to take my mind off that annoying little tomboy.-

She grinned painfully, as thinking harshly of Claire was always like scratching an itch with a sharp knife. She used her grapple gun to repel down to the street where she drew her pistol and went up the stairs at the other building. The door at the top of the stairs was locked but a hard kick opened it.

The majini had splayed the woman out on a table and he looked up from her more in anger than surprise. Ada didn't shoot immediately. Instead she swept inside with a sultry look on her face and nudged the door to a closed position with a backward sweep of her foot. The majini appreciated none of this and came around the table to grab her. For a moment Ada thought she might let him but she had another game in mind.

She shot the majini in the face twice then broke his neck with a high kick. Another bullet made sure the parasite inside him was dead, too. -Too easy,- she thought, walking over to the table where her reward was lying. -Then again, I did kill the Uroboros creature and saved to very ungrateful maidens so that counts,- she thought.

Ada stood over the woman and watched her tiny eyes flutter behind their lids. The woman's skin was cream colored and stretched over small, wiry muscles. The black dress she wore clung to her frame and Ada's hand lingered over a small, pert breast. The woman's nipples were stiff as tiny rocks and Ada gave them gentle pinches. "Are you alright?" Ada asked, and got no answer. The girl did not appear severely injured and looked to have fainted. The only blood Ada saw was from the corners of her mouth and she coughed when she swallowed.

"Poor thing," said Ada, wetting two fingers in her mouth and sliding the woman's dress up to reveal thin, creamy legs.

Ada's fingers gently pushed the woman's soft flesh apart and sought the spot she wanted. The woman was wet as though she had been extremely aroused before going unconscious and Ada thought she might come to fairly quickly given how she was squirming now. Ada slipped her other hand down the woman's dress to get a better feel of her breasts and hoped she would be appreciative enough to return the favor when she woke. If not, Ada could always offer to lead her to the BSAA Delta Team provided she was appreciative enough.

The situation reminded her of how she met Claire those years ago in Raccoon City and she wondered what she would have done had Claire refused her? Let her follow anyway, probably, provided she kept out of the way. Would Claire belief that now? Ada wondered and scowled.

She slid the woman so her hips were closer to the table's end and pushed up her skirt. The woman wore no panties and her pussy was as smooth and hairless as her legs. -A party girl,- Ada thought. -How the hell did you end up in a place like this?-

She got down on one knee and tasted the girl. She was extremely wet and her smell and taste made Ada's own womanhood moisten more. Ada plunged her tongue in with abandon, licking, sucking, with a free hand, fondling. The girl seemed to secrete even more fluid, more than Ada had ever experienced, but she enjoyed the novelty all the same while trying to keep from getting dripped on. The girl was writhing slowly then faster and letting out pained moans. Ada did not let up and allowed herself to pretend it was Claire shew as licking. When the woman came her back arched sharply, then she snapped into a sitting position.

Something long and black had wormed its way from her mouth. It split into four long petals, each curled and lined with bony teeth. The girl's eyes were wide and flushed with madness. Ada sighed, stood up, and shoved the woman back down on the table.

"Should've known," Ada said, drawing her pistol as the woman rose to attack. Ada fired into the center of the toothy thing in the woman's mouth and her bullets tore it to pieces before exiting though the back of the woman's head.

While Ada was pulling the woman's dress down to cover her the body spasmed and she rolled off the table to the floor. When the woman got up a worm half the length of her body was protruding from her neck while her head sagged behind her like the hood of a jacket. Ada emptied her gun into the worm body as it flailed and tried to catch her with its mandibles. Her bullets were enough to kill it and when it collapsed the woman sunk to the floor with it and did not move.

Ada could hear Claire saying this was her fault. She sold the Plaga sample to people who had used it for this. Her smile was grim as she loaded her pistol. Would Claire say the same to the people who made her gun? -Stop thinking about it. You don't have to justify anything to anyone, least of all to people who aren't here right now.-

She was glad when she heard majini outside as it brought her back to reality where there were real problems not moral dilemmas. She went out the French doors and reached the the roof where the crate was using her grapple gun. A digital combination lock was now all that was between her and the crate's contents and she had to think for a moment to remember the correct sequence of numbers to enter. Once she heard the lock click her stomach did a flip as the lid popped up an inch or so on its own. When the crate did not explode she felt better and opened it the rest of the way.

Inside were several black pieces of metal which she began to take out and assemble before she noticed the white piece of paper tucked in between two of the metal objects.

"A," the note read. "If you don't know by know, the man you seek is Ricardo Irving. From him you can learn W's precise whereabouts. Leave enough of Irving to be interrogated by the BSAA. If you wish to double your pay, eliminate W. If you wish to double it again, eliminate AA. Do not jeopardize the main objective. P.S., you may encounter a certain ex-STARS member. Aid him if you can."

Ada's nose wrinkled as she hastily finished with the crate before shutting it and tossing it over the side of the building where the majini shouted and went to investigate it. She finished assembling the black objects and held up the completed rifle. She planned to attach the scope, which was in a knapsack along with some other essential items, later. She used her grapple gun to reach another rooftop from where she heard the crate explode.

-So, Annette Birkin wants Wesker and Alexia Ashford out of the way. Can't say as I blame her,- Ada thought. Also running through her mind was what Chris Redfield, the ex-STARS member, was like in person. She knew she should be thinking about how to take down Wesker and Alexia but all she could think about was whether or not to tell Claire that her brother was likely to be in town.

XXX

A clicking noise rather than a bang told Claire she was out of rounds for her pistol so she holstered it and unslung her assault rifle from her shoulder.

"Out?" Sheva asked, putting two rounds from her pistol in a majini's chest. He had been about to throw a stick of dynamite but Sheva shot him in the wrist, making him drop the stick. It exploded as he bent to pick it up and two of his comrades came up behind him. Limbs and shredded clothing were scattered around in a circle in a cloud of dust.

"Out of .45 rounds," Claire said, moving along with Sheva over the shredded corpses of the majini "What do you have left?"

"Half a mag," said Sheva. "Once we clear the mine it's all open ground until we get to the dock."

"The dock?"

"The oil field is beyond a marsh land which you have to access from a sort of port town. Anthropologists like to stay there when there isn't a war on."

"Anthropologists?" Claire wondered what they would have to say about these majini as she let Sheva kill two men coming at them from the top of a hill. The third that came from behind held a sharp rock in one hand which he threw. Claire knocked it aside with the butt of her rifle then used it to crush the man's skull at his temple.

"Yes, the Sodibaya tribe...or the Ndipaya depending on who you ask, live in the marshlands around the oil field," Sheva said. "Hopefully the infection hasn't touched them."

Claire hoped so, too, remembering how widespread the Plaga outbreak in Spain had been. "How far is the marsh from here?" Claire asked as they went down a steep hill, then down a steel ladder bolted into the side of a rocky cliff.

"A few miles," Sheva said. "I'm hoping there's a vehicle up ahead we can take otherwise it's going to be a long damn day."

They came to a warehouse set against a hill, around which went the narrow dirt road. On the other side of the road was a steep drop, which Claire took a look over and jumped back when she felt the edge give way. Had she fallen it would have been for a few hundred feet before she hit a narrow stream.

Claire saw a majini at the top of the hill overlooking the warehouse and she aimed he rifle at him but he ran away before she could shoot. His retreat puzzled her until the sound of a diesel engine came from up the road by the ravine. A large truck came into view and both Claire and Sheva went in separate directions to avoid being run over.

Claire let out a deep breath when the truck lost control and over corrected, crashing into the side of the hill and spinning the rear end around almost one-hundred and eighty degrees, blocking the road. She could see the back was some kind of tanker and she smiled, thinking the majini likely riding in back weren't leaving anytime soon unless they could fly.

"Well that's that," Sheva said with relief, walking over to the truck alongside Claire.

"We can go through the cab," Claire said. "The driver doesn't look so good."

The majini behind the wheel was covered in broken glass and blood, but not quite dead. He raised a long, bony arm and pulled a lever inside the truck cab, which caused some hydraulic mechanism in the truck to switch on. Claire realized the back of the tanker was opening and backed away from the truck to see what would try to come out. The rear of the truck was hanging over the side of the cliff and she expected to see at least one majini fall out while the others would perhaps try to climb on the side of the truck.

The truck started to jostle from side to side as though the majini inside were shifting their weight in unison to try and tip it over. Claire was baffled at their strategy for a moment but realized her error when a high-pitched screech rang out.

What crawled out of the back of the truck made her think of a bat at first but when she saw the rest of its body her mind began having difficulty putting a name on what she saw. At least half of it it shared characteristics with a bat. Its four wings were actually long-fingered claws with skin stretched between the bones. Its ears were like satellite dishes on either side of a face that reminded Claire of certain wrinkled mushrooms. The creature's lower jaw looked like something more at home on a cartoon bulldog; all this only accounted for the more sensible part of its body. The lower half was something like a white grub or caterpillar only it sported tendrils and strange appendages found on neither creature.

It climbed to the top of the truck and screeched at Claire and Sheva before flapping its wings and going over the cliff where it went out of sight.

Sheva was shouting and running for the warehouse while Claire waited for it to rise above the cliff before she fired upon it, wishing to see what they were in for and if they might be able to kill the bat-monster. When it came up her bullets hit its wrinkled face causing it flesh wounds but nothing substantial. It hovered over solid ground making Claire feel the breeze from its wings before landing. Its thorax curled inward and it began walking on its folded wings towards her. Clair could see that beneath the white, plated bug section was what looked like soft, pink flesh and so she ran to the side in order to get a better angle for a shot.

It was ignoring Claire, having seen Sheva run. Claire's bullets hit the fleshy spot she had been aiming at and caused yellow fluid to bleed out and the creature to shriek. Even so it did not alter its course from Sheva, who had reached the warehouse and turned around to see she had been marked for death via snapping jaws. Sheva bolted from cover in time for the monster to collide with the warehouse, collapsing it like it was made of gingerbread.

Sheva ran to Claire who was getting ready to run herself. "When it charges, we'll split. One of us will have a shot at its underbelly," shouted Claire.

"Right," said Sheva, the look on her face telling Claire she had been thinking along the same lines. When the monster charged again, this time angry froth flying from its cartoonish mouth, both women went in opposite directions. The jaws came snapping after Claire who now realized she had gone in the direction of the cliff and would have to veer towards the truck, or otherwise fall. She could hear Sheva's gun cracking but didn't know if she was scoring hits on the monster, or if those shots would ever be enough.

The bat monster continued after Claire, who sought to circle back to Sheva so they could split again and keep firing, only before she reached the truck the bat began to flap its wings and took to their air. It went out over the cliff and came swooping in at them. They avoided being hit but this attack didn't leave it open to return fire. Claire was trying to thinking of a new plan when its next swoop cause its thorax to hit her, nearly scooping her up to place her at the mercy of weird, bleeding appendages it kept tucked under its body.

"Aim for the wings!" Sheva shouted as the thing went back out over the edge of the cliff. Claire rolled to a crouching position and fired into the flapping membranes, filling them with holes and causing the creature to dip dramatically. It came forward and despite their gunfire looked like it was going to gain the cliff, but suddenly there was a loud _boom_ that echoed of the rock walls around them. At the same time there was a spray of blood and bone where one of the wings met the bat's body and if flapped down like a broken sail followed swiftly by the entire creature.

Claire looked around for the source of the loud gunshot and saw Ada sliding down a long, rocky slope, a long rifle held in both hands. Claire sucked in her lower lip and bit it gently. "Thanks," Claire said, walking over to Ada along with Sheva. "I didn't think we'd see you so soon."

"I didn't think you'd take all day with that creature," said Ada, her tone gentle but mocking. "Nice pants by the way."

Claire pulled her bare leg back a step but stood her ground and ignored the comment. "You can always play through next time," said Claire. "We'd hate to get in your way."

"And I'd hate to see you waste all your ammunition," said Ada. "Now, I think I deserve something for my trouble."

"What do you want?" said Sheva, with a faint hint of eagerness in her voice that was noticed by all.

Claire fixed Ada with a bored expression and watched her smile sideways at Sheva as she pondered her payment. "Maybe you two could...tell me where we're going?"

Claire let out a loud breath and Sheva pretended to be confused. "You mean you don't know?" asked Claire. "I'd have guessed the great Ada Wong would know way more than two field agents about what's going on."

Claire wanted to slap the smile from Ada's face and it was difficult to keep that from showing in her body language.

"We think Irving is heading to an oil field beyond the marshlands," said Sheva. "I know a way to get there if you're interested in helping us out." She cast a glance at Claire as an apology.

Ada began walking towards the truck and the other two women followed. "I suppose that's fine," said Ada. "But only if Claire wants me to come along." She spun around and looked at Claire with her arms crossed. Her rifle was slung over her back and Claire wondered where she'd gotten it along with the knapsack she carried.

"Come if you want," Claire said.

"Really, the extra firepower would benefit all three..."

"I want her to ask me," said Ada, keeping her face towards Claire and only flicking her eyes to Sheva. "You two are low on bullets and I have skills you need. Skills that can get me where I'm going without you, eventually. Well?"

"This is childish," said Claire, trying to keep calm. "We're going after Irving."

She went past Ada and pulled the dead majini out of the truck cab. She did not look at Ada who had jumped onto the vehicle's hood and perched there like a mischievous fairy. Sheva tapped Claire on the back and motioned her away from the truck. "A word, please," she said, and Claire followed her out of earshot from Ada.

"You're right, this is childish," Sheva said. "So you need to be the adult and ask her to come along. You don't have to lick her boots if she asks, but we are getting low on ammo and the things we're running into are getting worse."

Claire agreed before her face could turn red and she stormed back over to Ada. "Ada, would you please come with us?" she snapped.

"Oh, Claire, come on now..."

Claire swallowed hard, not used to so much fury. "Ada, I want you to come with us after Irving. Please, I can't ask any nicer."

"I know you can't, so I'd be happy to come with you," said Ada. "Maybe we can catch up with each other, or we can get to know...Sheva, was your name?"

Sheva indicated Ada had her name right and both of them went over the hood of the truck while Claire slid through the cab. "So, Ada," Claire said. "Are you going to tell us why you're here or are you going to keep the Femme Fatale act up all day?"

"I don't know if I'd call it an act, and yes, all day and into the weekend," said Ada. "Just because I enjoy my work doesn't mean I'm not a professional. I'm not being paid to tell everyone and their sister what I'm doing here."

"You'll have to let something slip once we catch Irving," Sheva said. "I should also warn you, I don't know how Delta Team will take you. You're a wanted criminal, you know."

"Guess I'll have to use my feminine wiles," said Ada, sounding bored.

"Get ready to bat your eyelashes, looks like they're giving us a ride," said Claire.

A Humvee was approaching them from down the winding road, throwing up dust behind it. The driver skidded to a stop fifty feet from their location, either underestimating the loose gravel's sliding properties or being late in seeing that the women were not majini. There was only one BSAA soldier in the vehicle and he stuck his head out the window.

"Hop in, we've been waiting," he said, his eyes widening at the sight of Ada. "Who's your friend?"

"Classified," blurted Claire before anyone could speak. "Put the pedal to the metal."

The back of the Humvee was open, making it look more like a pickup. A turret gun had been mounted on the back and Sheva took hold of it while Ada and Claire sat on either side of her. The Humvee sped back in the direction it had come and Sheva began making a report to headquarters. She did not mention Ada.

As they rode, Claire noticed the sun was getting low and she felt worn out. The sky above the sparse, top-heavy trees was on its way to becoming a violent shade of pink and it felt as though some of the heat of the day was dissipating, although it could have been just the wind on her sweat dampened skin.

Ada was looking at her with dark eyes and a soft expression. Dust was laced into her short black hair and from her clothes Claire could tell she'd seen some trouble since they had last met. Where she had gotten her weapons, Claire couldn't guess but it made her think to check the Humvee for .45 rounds. She found some and refilled her magazines, then took Sheva's from her belt and refilled those as well.

"You two work well together," said Ada over the wind whipping past them and the Humvee's engine. "You just met, right?"

Claire nodded and Sheva said something in the affirmative. Ada glanced at Sheva, then back at Claire. She said nothing for a while as a knowing look came slowly over her face. "That was quick," she said after a long moment.

"What was quick?" said Sheva, crouching so she could speak easier. Claire took a deep breath and prayed Sheva would catch on and stop talking.

Ada pointed at Sheva and Claire with her two fingers, then intertwined them. Sheva said nothing and silently stood to man the turret gun, looking out over the terrain as though she expected to see something immediately. Ada meanwhile was smirking and Claire had to work to keep her face blank, knowing any reaction she could possibly have would please Ada immensely. She was almost glad to hear the sound of several dozen dirt bike engines come whining over a hillside and in behind them. Each carried a majini rider, some carried two.

"Look alive!" shouted the Humvee driver as Sheva quickly figured out how to fire the turret gun. The shots firing in rapid succession made a deep humming sound and send spent shells over the side of the Humvee like water from a fountain. Claire lay flat on the Humvee bed and took aim at the rider's farther back where Sheva's gun was less likely to score a hit. Sheva picked up on the strategy, as did Ada, who covered her side of the vehicle while Sheva took the other.

Another dirt road had been running in their direction and it curved to run parallel to the one they were on while being raised off the ground a dozen feet before it blended with the other. Claire caught sight of a flatbed driving down it, which fell in behind them. Sheva's bullets tore into the front, destroying the engine and quickly disabling the vehicle before it could ram them. The flatbed had been joined by a dozen or so men on dirt bikes and Claire tried to time her shots so a falling bike would cause another to crash. She only managed it twice but before long there were no more pursuers.

"Shit, up ahead!" shouted the driver, slowing down. Claire scrambled to look but was knocked back down as the truck swerved sharply around. Sheva continued to fire the big gun and Claire looked to see what the hold up was.

Two flatbed trucks had been parked in the road behind a row of sandbags. Behind them were several majini armed with crossbows. -What is this, 1600?- Claire thought, aiming at them and firing as quick as she could. She could smell hot metal and looked to see Sheva's gun had taken on a cherry red color as it spun, sending out round after round of near molten lead.

"You're going to overheat that thing," Ada said, shooting a majini's crossbow causing it to come apart and pieces to imbed in his face.

There was a loud _snapping_ noise and suddenly the hum of the big gun ceased. "Shit!' shouted Sheva, looking at the dull orange barrel. It had begun to droop like a wet noddle and was beginning to cool again.

"Hope we don't need that later," Ada said, as Sheva began shooting the remaining majini with her rifle. Once the barricade was silent, the driver went down a hill, off the road, and made the engine roar as the Humvee plowed through a muddy drainage ditch. The woman in the back had to hang on tight or risk being thrown out.

"Looks like that was the last of it," Claire said as they went about a mile without encountering more hostiles. Claire saw the sky was now a deep pink, nearing red closer to the setting sun. "We're not going to make it before dark, are we?"

"No," said Sheva. "And I'm not sure I want to cross the marshlands at night."

"It's either that or give Irving time to set up more nasty surprises," said Ada. "I'm game either way."

"He could escape," said Sheva.

"I don't think he's in a position to run very far," said Ada. "He's unleashed a lot of majini and B. . I think something's going on here."

"What?" asked Claire and Sheva in unison.

Ada smiled. "No idea."

With the gun turret useless, Sheva sat down next to Claire and leaned against her. She closed her eyes and let herself recharge as much as she could. The air was cooler now and the first stars of the evening were beginning to break through the purple dome above her which was streaked with long, translucent clouds. If they were going to wait to cross the marsh then she hoped this town they were headed for had a shower of some kind.

The Humvee was going faster than what Claire thought was safe and when it began to slow down she got up and looked over the top of the vehicle towards a tidy cluster of buildings, beyond which was a vast expanse of grass and water. "That must be it," said Claire.

"It is. I'd feel relieved but this is only the beginning," Sheva said.

The road through the town was shaped like an L, with a square cul de sac after the bend. Two story plaster-walled homes made up most of the buildings and Claire did not see the first BSAA member's body until the Humvee had gone past it. Once she saw it she saw the others that littered the streets. The Humvee slowed and stopped past the bend and the driver got out. He was sputtering, saying names of the men who were dead. "We-we had a perimeter...what the fuck? What the fuck!?"

"We're a bit exposed here, don't you think?" Ada said, and was ignored.

"I don't see Josh," said Sheva, panic rising in her throat. "But...oh, God, I think it's just about the entire team. How..."

Claire had no answer and could only shake her head in dismay and befuddlement. As she examined the bodies more closely her puzzlement only grew. If she had not know better she would have said the men had died in a car crash. Their skulls were caved in, their backs broken, their arms and legs were bent and twisted. Had majini mutilated them after death they would have been missing body parts or been cut but she saw none of that, and in fact found a few dead majini who had suffered the same fate as the BSAA members.

She was about to ask the driver how many men were in Delta Team when she saw he had gone to the far end of the cul de sac. He was on his way back and seemed to be in a daze, and did not see the thing come out of the alleyway and snatch him up like a child grabbing a doll.

It was a giant.

As tall as a house it resembled a muscular hunchback. It wore a large grass skirt around which was tied the corpses of three majini, a BSAA member, and some sort of goat or antelope. Its domed head was made to look all the more elongated by its cone-shaped black beard. It shifted its grip the driver so it held him by the legs then swatted him against the ground twice like a fish. He was dead after the first impact but the giant stomped on him anyway sending blood out his mouth and pressing him into the ground

"If only we had a large machine gun," Ada called out as she ran into one of the houses. Claire went after her and saw Sheva make for the other end of the street.

The layout inside the house was simple and it was sparsely furnished. Some BSAA gear was set in a corner and there cubby holes built into the wall for travelers to store their things. Ada went into another room and Claire followed, being careful not to trip over whatever had been left on the floor in the dark. Ada bounded up a flight of stairs and again Claire kept close behind, feeling the house shake as the giant knocked part of it down.

The upstairs led to a balcony which itself was attached to the adjacent house. Ada sprinted over and tried to quietly open the door on the other end as fast as she could. Claire looked back and saw a cloud of dust where the monster was ripping walls apart in search of them. Once she and Ada were inside Claire ducked and hoped she was out of the giant's sight. "Sheva," she said into her communicator after touching a button on her mobile device. "Sheva, some in."

"I read you," said Sheva, her voice a loud whisper. "I'm at the other end of the street."

"Tell her to lie low for now," Ada said. "And tell her to be quiet."

Claire relayed those words to Sheva then told her to maintain radio silence so as to avoid the giant overhearing them. They could keep their voices quiet but their headsets sometimes emitted loud crackles or whines.

The giant bellowed in frustration as it stomped about in the rubble it had created, unable to find anything to kill. From a window Claire saw the top of its massive body lumber into the cul de sac and begin searching buildings on the other side of the street. She thought it would simply knock over the walls but instead it peered in windows and doors like an ape looking for termites in a mound, doing only minor damage to the building's it looked into.

"We should get back a bit," said Ada. "No sense in letting him find us before we're ready."

"Ready for what?" asked Claire, following her deeper into the building. "We're going to have to get rid of that thing somehow. I doubt it'll wander off on its own, at least not before more crazies show up."

Their voices were low, the loudest sounds from them being the scuffled of feet on the floors. "I'm trying to think of something," Ada said. "But you know how it is. Stress jumbles my thoughts."

"Oh, that's right," said Claire. "Well you jut relax while I think of something."

They were in a small room tucked beneath a flight of stairs. Claire noticed a cot was there, next to a low table where two metal chairs had been set. Ada removed the rifle slung over her shoulder and set it on the table, next to her pistol. She divested herself of the rest of her gear and set it in one of the chairs. "Might as well take a load off," Ada said. "No sense in wearing yourself down."

Claire set her assault rifle on the table but kept everything else on her body. She stood with her arms crossed, trying not to look at Ada, and listened for sounds from outside. She could hear the giant grunting and guessed he was still searching for them. "So, what have you been up to lately?" Ada asked, her voice a low whisper.

"This kind of thing," Claire said curtly. "I'd ask you the same but that wouldn't be professional."

"Too bad, I'm sure your bosses would love to have you pick my brains. They must ask about me a lot," Ada said.

"No, not really. I've made it clear to them we have nothing to do with each other."

Ada sighed and smiled, holding Claire in an appraising gaze. "I guess by now the DSO might actually want you for your talents. You're not with that girl anymore so there's no one you have to dish to about me anyway."

"Excuse me?" asked Claire, crossing her arms and turning away from Ada so she could look at her over her shoulder. "You're saying I was assigned to guard Ashley Graham so she could spy on you through me?"

Ada let out a small yawn. "You have to admit, it's the kind of scheme they would come up with. She dumped you some time after Spain, didn't she?"

"Only because I...she thought I still had a thing for you," said Claire, now painfully aware of the keepsake she kept in her pocket containing the two womens' pictures. "So much for your theory."

"Well in that case I'm sorry it didn't work out," said Ada.

"Like hell you are," said Claire. "I can see it on your face, you've been dying to tell me 'I told you so,' since you saw me."

Ada came forward suddenly forcing Claire to turn but she didn't give ground. Ada made special effort not to touch her but stood as close as possible in a posture that could have either been to intimidate or show affection. Claire's chin tilted upward in defiance and her eyes met Ada's. She hadn't expected to see them swirling with pain and frustration. "I told you so, Claire. I told you it wouldn't work with her, didn't I? Didn't I?"

Claire's mouth formed into a hard line and she remembered Rockfort Island where right after blowing up a mutated boy with a rocket launcher Ada had dumped her, saying the same things about them she would later say about Claire and Ashley. "Why are you doing this to me?" Claire asked. "Do you just enjoy jerking me around?"

She saw Ada's hand rise, then lower in a soft fist. "For five minutes can you forget the stupid things I've said?"

"Five minutes," said Claire. "But three years of silence takes more than five minutes to forget."

"Fine," said Ada. "I was hoping you'd forget about me in three years. I was hoping I'd forget about you, too, but I couldn't. I'll admit that our start in Raccoon City was pretty twisted, but I want things to go back to the way they were, before Rockfort Island and before I said those stupid things."

"And the stupid things you said and did in Spain," said Claire. "Fine, I'll give you better than five minutes Ada. I'll forgive everything forever. I'll forgive the twisted, sociopathic way we met, I'll forgive how you acted over Steve, and I'll forget the three-year silent treatment. You know what that leaves? You make your living facilitating bio-terrorism. What we just passed through was an act of genocide and you helped make it happen. And don't give me that bullshit about how if you didn't someone else would have. You're the one that did. You."

A dark expression had come over Ada's face. "The only difference between you and me, Claire, is I happen to know I'm working for bad people. Does ignorance absolve a person of sin?"

"Dunno, I'm not much of a moral philosopher," said Claire. "And unless you've got something specific to say about who I work for I'd suggest you can that line of crap. It makes you sound stupid."

"You wouldn't believe anything I told you anyway, so why bother?"

"Just shut up, Ada, I'm done talking," said Claire. "Unless you can convince me you're not here to steal some new bioweapon, in that case we can talk about us."

"You say that like your girlfriend out there isn't a consideration," said Ada, turning her head in the direction of the window where they could hear the giant roaming and searching in vain for them.

"She isn't my girlfriend," said Claire. "We met today."

"Any yet you've had sex. Is she good?" Claire didn't respond and was nudged by Ada. "Come on, you know I know."

"She's good," said Claire. "And it's not polite to kiss and tell."

"Lucky you," said Ada. "I was starting to think you and I were two of a kind."

"Meaning?"

"Not many women can get wet in a place like this," Ada said. "And this is one of the nicer places we've tangled in."

"We haven't tangled here," said Claire.

"You know you want to," said Ada. "I can see it plain as that monster out there, you want to do it while it searches for us."

Claire's teeth clenched and she felt her legs become mushy. Somehow hearing Ada say it made her feel the old desire and it was more powerful than she had expected, like the smell of a cheeseburger two weeks into a vegetarian diet. She let out a long sigh, signifying lust's victory over her reason and sense of decency.

"Fine, but it better be quick and I want it made clear that it means nothing. Nothing, you..." Claire was enveloped in Ada's arms before she could finish and her lips were occupied by Ada's. Claire felt the other woman's familiar tongue slip inside her mouth and it was like the years had all boiled down and mixed as one. Her arms went around to Ada's backside and squeezed, pulling her upward an inch or so and shifting their balance so Claire had to back into the wall.

Claire was lost in Ada's scent and warm embrace but remembered herself long enough to break the kiss. "You haven't won," she whispered sternly. "This isn't for old time's sake, it's just...fun."

"Fun will do just fine," said Ada, undoing Claire's vest. For a moment she thought Ada would find the keepsake she had in the pocket but her interests lie elsewhere. Claire found herself being expertly disrobed and was soon naked save for her torn pants. "I really do like the pants," Ada said, rubbing Claire's bare leg after kneeling and nuzzling her bare stomach.

Ada, for her part, stripped quickly, her vest coming undone and the red dress she wore slipping down her body like a snakeskin. She wore simple black underwear. Her bra had a bit of lace around the cups and her panties were the sort that lifted Ada's already compact buttocks. She did away with the bra and Claire melted under the heat of her bare skin as Ada pressed against her, allowing warm, damp kisses to be planted up the side her neck.

Claire pressed down on Ada's shoulders, forcing her to kneel and stop her affections. "Just fun, remember?" she said.

Ada smiled and licked her lips. "Foreplay is important, but if you insist," she said, and forced Claire's legs apart. Claire leaned against the rough wall and felt Ada's tongue inside her. She moaned softly as it didn't seem to need a refresher on what she liked and how she liked it. First Ada danced around the spot Claire liked, touching lightly it then moving away only to return again and tease it more. Claire squeezed Ada's soft, firm shoulders feeling the tight muscles loosen and Ada sigh with pleasure.

When she felt about to come Claire bid Ada to stop and stand up, then Claire walked her over to the cot. She had Ada lay herself out while Claire knelt next to her, nuzzling her flat stomach and touching her breasts. Ada's smell made Claire's entire body ache and for a short, mad moment she wanted what Ada did, things to be as they were before. She almost said something to that effect but held her silence and and instead began to fondle, lick, and suck Ada's fists sized breasts like a teenage boy, free of any finesse and seeking only her own enjoyment. This approach, she knew, would make Ada feel desired and in control, and it would please her immensely if not overdone.

Ada's body curled under Claire's touch and she moaned. When Claire felt Ada's body was ready she climbed atop her on the cot and positioned herself so they could both lick each other. Ada's familiar scent and flavor overloaded her brain and she felt close to coming once more. To control it she thought of the monster outside which was searching for them still and rather than distract her from her impending orgasm it intensified it. Claire's body spasmed. Her thighs squeezed around Ada's shoulders and she tucked her own head down, gritting her teeth the powerful orgasm made her feel as though she were being crushed.

Claire felt her buttocks being caressed and her thighs kissed. When wet lips were affectionately planted on her womanhood, she bent her own head back between Ada's legs and dutifully began licking her like a cat lapping milk.

Ada lasted less than a minute despite Claire's tired efforts. Claire felt her buttocks squeezed to the point of pain and bore it, knowing if either of them cried out the monster outside would hear. When Ada had settled down, Claire rolled off her and got dressed while listened to the giant outside. "Fun enough?" Claire asked.

Ada spoke after first seeming like she wouldn't. Even as the words came out, she seemed unsure of them. "What would it take for us to be together again?"

"I can't go back to stealing bioweapon secrets for the black market..."

"That's not what I meant," said Ada. "Forget about how the relationship would actually work, what it's going to take for you to want me back?"

"Tell me why you're here for starters. If its to steal Uroboros and sell it that kind of thing would have to stop."

"I suppose you'd want me to be monogamous, too," Ada said, as though trying to console herself.

"No," Claire said, sensing a weakness in the normally unbroken sheet of ice that covered Ada's innermost thoughts and feelings. "You could do whoever you wanted but that cuts both ways."

Her expression made Claire think of a child who had been told she could have chocolate cake but only if she ate her vegetables first. It caused Claire to feel an odd sense of agony and satisfaction and she could not resist a mean smile. "Oh, and not to put pressure on you but that offer won't be on the table forever. I have a life which I'll get around to living at some point and I'm not going to spend all of it waiting for you," said Claire.

Ada's soft face was obscured by the deepening gloom and her words seemed to come from the air around her rather than the red lips which had tilted into a smug smile. "Nice to see you're able to take charge of yourself on occasion," said Ada. "I'll think about it. Despite what you believe I've got good reasons for keeping secrets."

"I'm sure you do," said Claire. "Which reminds me I should tell Hunnigan what's been happening. Should have reported in a while ago."

"Not my fault you're so easily distracted," said Ada. "I'll make your life a little easier and go check on your partner, maybe find a way to get rid of handsome out there."

"Be careful, there could be threats inside these buildings," said Claire, making sure the sound settings on her communicator would not blast any unwanted noises. She watched Ada dress out of the corner of her eye and waited for a parting comment. It did not come and once Ada was ready she left the room through a darkened doorway at the far end while the giant outside grumbled.

**To be continued...**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six.**

Sheva sat on a stool in the dark and listened to the monster that had killed a fair number of her friends as it lumbered outside. It was not searching for her or the others in earnest but neither had it forgotten them. Why it did not knock down all the buildings she could not say, as her mind was bent towards how to take revenge on it for killing her comrades. She had contacted BSAA headquarters and requested support after informing them of the situation. Not only had the request been denied, she had been ordered to withdraw.

The order had to be repeated twice as she did not believe it. After the second round with HQ she stopped communicating. She did not feel like a rogue agent yet, as she could not physically comply with the absurd order.

She would have gone looking for Claire and Ada but given it was dark and she was not sure exactly where they were she risked drawing the giant's attention. She also thought it best they were not all in one place should the creature notice them and attack.

A sound by the stairs made her come off the stool and crouch. She had her pistol out but dreaded having to fire it and so she looked around for a weapon that might be quieter. She lowered her gun when she saw the white face of Ada Wong come out of the gloom. When she did not see Claire she felt her body tense in anticipation for a conflict or perhaps something else.

"Good evening," said Ada. "Any bright ideas on how to slay the giant?"

"None," Sheva said. "What's worse is HQ isn't sending help, either. They've ordered us to withdraw."

"Will you?" Ada asked although it was clear she knew the answer.

"We couldn't if we wanted to, not with that thing out there. We're just lucky no majini have showed up."

"They won't, not with that Ndesu around," said Ada. "Whoever improved on Las Plagas was never able to breed the tendency to kill friendlies out of El Gigante."

"Ndesu?"

"The giant's code name classification," said Ada. "I'm going to make a collectable trading card game and sell it to the BSAA. Good idea?"

Sheva smiled at the joke, but was still puzzled. "How do you know something like that?"

Ada shrugged. "It's my business to know things I shouldn't."

"Do you know how to kill it?"

The giant outside was some distance away but they could plainly hear it breathing and moving objects around at random intervals as thought it were a bored child. Ada had stopped a few feet from Sheva and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Shoot the hell of it, I don't know," she said. "Might use up a lot of bullets but I bet Delta Team won't be missing their ammo after you're done."

"That can be Plan B," said Sheva, not wanting a battle with a monster that killed an entire assault team. "Maybe we should regroup, put our heads together."

"No offense but he'd spot you for sure. I made getting her look easy but it wasn't," said Ada.

Sheva crossed her arms and kept from looking too offended. "Why did you come over here? Our communicators work fine," she said.

"Claire needed some space and I wanted to get to know you better," said Ada. "We got off on a good foot, I thought, but things seem shaky."

Sheva remembered her taunts over the machine gun overheating and her assumption that Sheva and Claire had been together. -Textbook jealous ex,- thought Sheva, wondering what she was in for with this meeting. Anything noisy would rouse the Ndesu but Ada didn't seem to worry about that.

"Aren't you the one who stole the Plaga parasite from that cult in Spain?" asked Sheva. "I guess if I had a problem with you that would be it."

"That's getting thrown in my face a lot," said Ada. "Oh well. I own my actions, unlike some other people."

"Who would those people be?" asked Sheva, thinking this would be where Ada segued into her relationship with Claire.

"No one you know," said Ada. "But I'll tell you what I told Claire, being ignorant of sin doesn't make a person innocent of it."

"Cryptic," said Sheva. "Are you implying the BSAA is working for shady people?"

"Well, let's see," said Ada, stroking her chin and pretending to think. The action had a playful air to it rather than a sarcastic one, and Sheva had to marvel at how Ada could seem aloof and condescending while being somehow trustworthy at the same time. "The BSAA is funded by a network of pharmaceutical companies and overseen by a nearly impotent U.N. committee. I couldn't think of a better breeding ground for corruption if I tried. Now consider that for such a well-funded and widespread group the BSAA hasn't been able to get anything solid on Uroboros in years despite it supposedly being the number one threat to humanity at the given moment. And two BSAA teams for such a widespread outbreak like this one? Maybe you're used to getting short-changed in this part of the world but it's still a little fishy don't you think?"

Sheva's nebulous thoughts and suspicious suddenly solidified at hearing them spoke aloud. Nothing about their mission had made much sense given the circumstances. How had all of Kijuju's infection gone unnoticed by BSAA intelligence? Why weren't they sending more troops to wipe it out? "We do get short-changed out here, actually," Sheva finally said. "Certain people seem to enjoy using this continent as a toilet even when they try to help it."

Ada held her palms up and began pacing around like a bored feline. She slipped off her tactical vest revealing her white shoulders which her dress clung to via thin red straps. Sheva thought it an odd garment to wear for the occasion but it fit with everything else about Ada Wong she had seen. When Ada spoke she sounded as bored as she looked.

"You're the expert on Africa, so I won't argue the point but remember: Chris Redfield, one of the most respected people in the BSAA and the entire anti-bioterrorism profession felt he had to go rogue to act on information he'd received on the whereabouts of another highly respected BSAA member. I'm not a big fan of organizations but don't you think a group like the BSAA would stop at nothing to have confirmed that intelligence on Jill Valentine?"

Sheva's mouth opened and closed before she snapped it shut and pressed her lips together. Her head felt light and like there was a bucket of water being poured on her face. "How...how do you know all that?" was all she could ask.

"I keep telling you, I'm a spy," said Ada. "My point was that while those were good men out there killed by that thing there are some less than good men, and women, telling them where to go and what to do. And while everything you do for the BSAA appears well and good you might find that the difference between you and me is that I'm just getting paid more."

Sheva's fist clenched and were there not a murderous giant outside to overhear them she would have seen if Ada could fight as well as she talked. Ada seemed to sense her anger and undid her gun belt, setting it gently on the floor. She held up her hands when Sheva began to come off the stool to twist her into awkward positions as silently as she could.

"Easy, I didn't come for an argument," Ada said. "I said those were good men out there and I meant it."

"And I believe there's a difference between knowingly doing evil and being misled," said Sheva.

"We'll see how you feel later on," said Ada. "I do love saying 'I told you so.' Now, I want to know, since I've given you so much information, who made the first move, you or Claire?"

"I don't think it's any of your business," Sheva said.

"I made her come before I came over here," said Ada, her voice lowering a few octaves and sending shivers through Sheva's torso and legs. "So I know anything going on between you two isn't so personal. I'm thinking it was you who made the first move. Claire's a shy girl and in perpetual denial about what she likes."

Sheva sat back down on the stool and drummed her fingers against her thighs, thinking perhaps she did not like where this had been going and was now eager to see it go a new direction. "Technically I started it but she warmed up pretty fast," said Sheva. "I think she knows what she likes by now."

"Mmm, I'll bet," said Ada as she walked behind where Sheva sat on the stool and placed her warm fingers on the sitting woman's shoulders. "I think we all know what Claire likes but what I'm wondering is what do you like? Do you like sex in places like this?"

"I'm starting to see the appeal," said Sheva, turning her head to watch Ada from the corner of her eye. "If you were just with Claire then why did you have to come over here?"

"Lots of reasons," said Ada. "Curiosity being the biggest of them. I took a big risk sneaking past that monster, don't tell me you're going to say no?"

"Do you take rejection well?" asked Sheva, thinking Ada did not sound like she feared being told no.

"Claire would say no," said Ada. "It's just for fun, dear, maybe it'll clear your head."

"Alright," Sheva said, letting her hand rest atop Ada's. "You lead."

Ada tilted Sheva's head back and kissed her, plunging her tongue past her lips immediately upon their mouths touching. Sheva thought she could almost taste Claire on Ada's breath but soon the woman's own scent had filled her senses. Her hands slid down over Sheva's shoulders and under her shirt where they found her breasts. Still locked in the kiss, Sheva felt her her tits being appraised by soft, appreciative hands that found her stiffening nipples a delight.

Ada broke the kiss and nudged Sheva's head to the side where she nibbled at her neck and ear. Sheva's own hands came up, touching Ada's black hair, feeling the dust that had collected there over the course of the day. Parts of it were sticky, most likely from blood. Sheva could not say she was much cleaner.

Sheva slid off the stool and turned to face Ada who had slipped her dress down over her shoulders exposing her pale, smooth skin. Sheva pulled her own shirt up over her head and during the space of time she could not see, Ada had been able to disrobe completely. "You're a veteran at this," Sheva said.

Ada laughed. "Most would call me slutty," she said.

"Most would call us insane," whispered Sheva as a loud grunt from the giant vibrated the air.

"Most people aren't here so their opinions don't matter," Ada said softly and squeezed Sheva's shoulders. "I find this sort of thing adds some spice to all the guns and gore."

"If you think fighting B. is boring you must have some interesting stories to tell," Sheva said, feeling herself relax and the hostility she had felt towards Ada begin to waver. Even her shaken confidence in the BSAA was fading under Ada's caresses.

"I prefer new experiences over stories," Ada said. "For example, let me show you what I did for Claire earlier."

She slipped around to Sheva's front, letting her lips and tongue trail over the seated woman's midsection before stopping at Sheva's pants where a hidden display of lip and tongue dexterity got them undone. Sheva felt herself gushing as her pants were removed and she shifted the weight on her butt so Ada could slip her panties off in the same fashion.

Ada put two of her fingers in her mouth before sliding them between Sheva's legs. Sheva felt herself being probed, gently, and let her body tell Ada where she needed to touch and how. When Ada's tongue joined her fingers, Sheva rested her hands on Ada's head and slid forward on the stool so she was leaning on it.

Pleasure swam up her like water in a fountain and came bubbling out her mouth in the form of heavy breathing and small sighs. She could hear the deadly thing outside moving around and knowing the wrong sort of noise from her would send it into a rage set fire to her insides and made every muscle in her body cringe and tingle.

Ada began swirling her tongue and it was like something exploded within her. "Oh..." Sheva said before losing control and letting out a short, piercing shriek. She stifled it and to her amazement Ada kept licking her, intensifying the orgasm even as she heard the giant outside grunt loudly.

Sheva heard Claire's voice in her earpiece. It sounded on the verge of panic. "Sheva, it's noticed you. It's moving, get out of there now!"

"Nyugh..." was Sheva's only response as her orgasm spiked one last time. Ada stood, pulling Sheva's pants and panties up with her while the other woman tried not to lose her balance on the stool.

Ada was pleased with herself and gave Sheva an affectionate tickle on the chin, seemingly unaware or unconcerned about the giant which was bellowing with rage. "Tell Claire to open fire. We're taking it down."

"How?" Sheva asked, running after Ada who had turned to leave, buckling her pants as she reached for her rifle.

Ada was putting on her tactical vest and on her way out of the room. She didn't leave for long, however and returned from the dark doorway with her long rifle cradled in her arm as though she were about to go for a peaceful afternoon of target shooting. "When in doubt, shoot until you run out of bullets. It doesn't have the element of surprise and it's a big target. We should be fine," said Ada.

Sheva blinked twice as the sound of gunfire from the other building was heard in their room right before it shook, causing dust and plaster to come off the ceiling. The building shook again as the monster plowed into the structure next to them, sending up clouds of dust and debris to thicken the night air. "This way!" Sheva shouted, running to the stairwell from which she had entered the building. It led down to an area where the wall had caved in from the giant's previous rampage, making Sheva want to be out in the open where a building was less likely to fall on her.

She turned to see Ada stepping nimbly over broken plaster and wood, her head angled towards the building in which Claire had been. Sheva raised her assault rifle to her shoulder and took aim at the giant's head as it stepped away from mauling the building she had been in. A light breeze was keeping the dust from completely obscuring the giant and she sent three rounds at its face. Each hit, tearing away flesh and bone and making the giant grunt in anger.

"Concentrate your fire on his face and keep moving," Ada said. "My rifle works best at a distance."

Sheva thought she might like some distance between her and the giant, too, but she did as Ada said, moving down the street and out of the cul de sac while putting round after round in the giant's face, which was now a bloody, sagging ruin. She directed her bullets at the eyes but was unable to break either dim orb and the monster had the sense to cover its face with a thick hand before too much damage was done to it.

Gunfire from the cul de sac made a cracking noise amid the buildings and sent pieces of the giant's flesh flying into the night air. Three more sharp cracks from Claire's rifle and the giant was swatting at its back as thought stung by a bee. It growled and broke off its pursuit of Sheva and lumbered towards Claire's position.

The street was dimly lit by light bulbs strung on wires around short trees and utility poles. Sheva saw on the monster's back something like a seam that ran parallel to the spine. It had come open several inches and she noted something inside that was a different shade of gray than the giant's skin. Sheva let the giant go farther down into the cul de sac before she ran behind it for a better look at the seam which the thought might be a weakness.

She fired into the seam and was rewarded with the sight of something moving inside of it. She fired again and was showered in a foul smelling fluid as the back of the giant exploded. She was covered in a thin mucus and wiped it from her eyes to see what looked like a thick, gray tree with no leaves writhing from out of the giant's back.

"Shoot that thing!" shouted Claire over her communicator. The sound shocked Sheva out of her stunned state and she switched her rifle to fully automatic. She then sprayed a line of bullets up the worm's trunk causing yellow ooze to bleed from it and make it twist around the giant's body, exposing it to Claire's line of fire. As Claire's shots cracked over the cul de sac, Sheva emptied the remaining bullets from her weapon into it, then half of another before loud, booming shots from Ada's gun joined in.

Ada shot three times, each time making a large splash into the worm. Sheva emptied the rest of her magazine but by now the parasite had gone flaccid, leaking yellow fluid like a punctured garden hose. The giant sunk to its knees as three smaller parasites erupted from different places on its body. Ada fired twice and two of them exploded. Sheva set her rifle so it would only fire single shots and took aim at the parasite protruding from a rip in the giant's shoulder, splitting in half with her bullet.

The giant stood briefly before sinking back to its knees and slumping on its side. "It's probably dead, but I wouldn't go near it," said Claire though Sheva's earpiece.

"Wasn't planning on it," replied Sheva. "Where are you?" As soon as she asked she saw Claire waiving from the end of the cul de sac. She ran down the street to meet her beneath a flickering light bulb.

"That was easier than I thought it would be," said Claire.

"I thought it would be cleaner," said Sheva, wiping the gunk she had been coated with off her arms and face. She prayed there was working plumbing in one of the buildings as a dip in the marsh was not appealing to her. "So. um...just so you know, I saw Ada and..."

"She left her comm link open, I know," said Claire.

"I see," said Sheva, wondering how much Claire had heard and feeling glad she had not been too free with her thoughts. She cleared her throat and studied Claire without looking directly at her, instead pretending to keep an eye out for Ada. "So you're..."

Claire shrugged. "I don't see a reason to be upset, but...we should be careful of her."

Before Claire could elaborate Ada had called out to them as she exited a building and went past the dead giant, holding her nose as she went. "Well that was easy," said Ada. "Guess they're not so tough when you're expecting them."

"I'd like to know it surprised Delta Team," said Sheva. "These men were trained specifically to handle B. like that thing."

They were all silent for a few moments before Sheva spoke again. "We should recover the bodies of Delta Team and set them somewhere. I know we don't have time for anything else."

"You can pick up their ammo at the same time," said Ada. "I'll see if I can find you a shower." She strutted away leaving Claire and Sheva alone to go searching for their dead BSAA comrades.

"So you heard me say we've been ordered to withdraw?" Sheva said.

"Yes. We'll rest until dawn and set out after Irving at first light. At least I will," said Claire.

"I'll be right behind you," said Sheva. "I guess you heard Ada's theories about what's been going on, too?"

"I did," said Claire. "Remember what I said about being careful of Ada."

"Do you think she was lying?"

"No," said Claire as they came to a dead BSAA agent. Claire bent and searched him gently for ammunition before picking out a building to move him and the others to. "I think she highlighted some things and downplayed others. But she's right about things being fishy. It's been one disaster and bad call after another but I'm not technically with the BSAA and haven't been ordered to fall back."

"Well, hopefully the DSO won't order you to arrest me," said Sheva before they split up to search for bodies. Sheva could hear Claire across the street talking to her DSO contact over her communicator. Sheva did not find as much ammunition as she had hoped to on the BSAA members' corpses but felt some pride that they had put up a stiff resistance.

When they had collected all the bodies they could find Sheva noted for certain that Josh was not among them. That meant little, she knew, but it was a hopeful sign and she updated BSAA command on the situation. A man on the other end of the line acknowledged her information and nothing was said about the withdrawal order, or anything else. No plans for support or recovering Delta Team's bodies.

Claire met Sheva at the building where she was covering her former comrades with a tarpaulin. She felt numb, unable to tell who was who from seeing just their exposed boots. All she could think about was Ada and Claire, and what it must have been like when they were together. She felt like a sociopathic bar girl and decided to leave the building for some fresh, sticky night air.

"We should split up and help Ada find a shower for you," said Claire. "A cleaning would do you good. After that we can sleep then find a boat or something. Hopefully Ada's right and Irving doesn't have far to run."

"Alright," said Sheva, heading in the direction of the building she had been hiding from the giant in. The building interiors were well-kept and she fully expected to find some working facilities but found herself drifting through one dark and empty room after another, feeling lucky when she found a working sink or a water bottle.

"Shower time, ladies," came Ada's voice over her earpiece suddenly, making Sheva jump. She had not expected to hear it, thinking Ada did not have her frequency. "Third building from the flickering light, second floor. Hot water, too."

"Roger," said Sheva, leaving the room she was in and heading out onto the street to go in the direction of the one Ada indicated. Sheva did not see Claire on the street and figured she must be inside so she went in, using her flashlight to locate Ada. The room was large and lit by a hanging lamp. It did not seem to have been initially designed as a bathroom but there against the wall was a plastic tub and shower stall.

Ada sat nude on the edge of the tub, her skin like a beacon in the dark. Sheva could see where dirt and grime had collected on her forearms, face, and neck.

"I was feeling filthy myself. Thought I'd join you," said Ada, swinging her bare leg playfully.

Sheva hesitated and glanced behind her, seeing no one in the dark doorway. "I suppose."

"Don't mind her, she'll be along," said Ada, stepping into the shower and running the water, getting the temperature right. "No soap it seems."

Sheva cursed and took off her slimy clothes hoping to at least rinse them out. She watched Ada adjust the water temperature, then stand under the jet as the clear liquid ran down her smooth body, taking the grime and dirt off with it. Ada used her hands to both scrub and play with herself, paying special attention to her curving narrow hips and pert breasts.

"The water's fine," said Ada. "Come in, I'll do what I can for your back."

Sheva took one last look behind her and got in the tub, feeling the hot water electrify her skin and make a burning agony of the scrapes and cuts she'd acquired. She had her back to Ada and let the water soak into her hair and scalp, washing away the ooze that had collected there. She felt Ada's hands on her shoulders, felt them rub her sore muscles perhaps in an effort to scrub her skin as well.

Sheva's eyes drifted shut but shot open when she heard footsteps on the stairs. Claire's face came into view out of the gloom and into the light. Her face betrayed no emotion as she entered, her one bare leg looking to Sheva like something to be tasted. She set her guns and other gear on a chair and stood before the shower and tub with her hands on her hips as though waiting for something.

"You're filthy, Claire, you should join us," said Ada, running her fingers up the back of Sheva's head, into her hair and making her entire body tingle.

"Looks cramped for three, I'll wait," said Claire.

"Help me get this stuff off her at least," said Ada. "You can stand where you are, no one cares if the floor is wet."

Sheva watched out the corner of her eye as Claire got undressed and came over to her. Her skin was pale as Ada's only her arms, neck, and face were a shade darker from more time spent outdoors. She had a number of scrapes and large bruises on her and Sheva wanted to plant gentle kisses on each.

Claire stepped closer and keeping her flat expression began caressing Sheva, using her hands to wipe the gunk off her skin while avoiding the small wounds she bore.

"I think this is as clean as we're going to get you," said Ada after a few minutes. The water had remained hot and Sheva wondered how long it would last before turning lukewarm.

"Your turn, then," Sheva said, switching places with Ada.

Sheva could feel the tension in the air but didn't think it was entirely negative in nature. Her eyes went between the two women and while she could not see Ada's face, she could sense she was reflecting Claire's nonchalant attitude. The water was hitting Ada from her right side, spraying off her bicep and making clear spider-veins over her bare chest. Water collected rapidly at the ends of her relatively small, pert breasts and dripped rapidly off.

"You know we could all be dead within the next few hours," said Ada, as though remarking on the temperature of the room.

"Don't be so cheerful," said Claire.

"Just offering some perspective," said Ada.

"The marshlands are rather dangerous, even at the best of times" said Sheva. "Crocodiles, snakes..."

Claire rolled her eyes. "You two really know how to turn a girl on," she said, and stepped into the shower, nudging Ada back along with Sheva. The water hit both Claire and Ada, pooling between them where their breasts pressed together. Sheva's breath caught and for an instant she was not sure what to do with her hands or any other part of her. All she could do was watch the two scuffed beauties and try to fathom what between them was being said without words.

"Hmm," mused Ada. "Claire, you're the dirtiest. You both owe me for my help...but Sheva, you're the newbie."

Sheva was confused but thought she understood. "You've been pretty helpful," she said, rubbing the back of Ada's neck.

"A vote in my my favor," Ada said with a purr in her voice. "Have at it, ladies."

Sheva waited for Claire to act first, who did so with a reluctance that was quickly forgotten. She pushed up Ada's right breast and leaned down to give its wet surface a soft lick before taking it into her mouth. Sheva followed suit, her tongue cringing at the faintly metal-flavored water and feeling the soft texture of Ada's skin. Ada, meanwhile, leaned against the damp wall and set her hands gently on the other two women, her left going to Sheva's back and her right to Claire's bare arm.

Sheva's wet fingers went low, finding Ada's slit at the same time Claire did, and working together they spread her apart and massaged the soft, warm flesh, making Ada moan. Sheva and Claire fell into a natural rhythm, one probing inward while the other pulled out, varying the pattern every so often by moving together and pressing against Ada harder.

Sheva was nuzzling Ada's shoulder while Claire kissed her neck. Their faces met under Ada's shin as she tilted her head back, and Sheva and Claire moved away locked in a kiss. When they saw Ada's head come back down to watch their lips parted enough to only touch briefly while their tongues extended to flirt with one another under the water jets bouncing off their bodies. Sheva could see Ada's mouth was slightly agape and it was clear she had not expected to enjoy this as much as she was.

Claire's eyes were focused on Ada and she seemed to be smiling while her tongue was out, touching Sheva's lips. "Too much for you?" Claire said, leaning towards Ada.

Ada let out a deep breath but said nothing. Sheva, working in time with Claire, moved in closer as well and both their lips met with hers. Sheva had never thought about kissing two pairs of lips at once, but these seemed to know what they were doing and drew her in, probing her at the same time while she joined another in exploring someone else's mouth.

She had forgotten about her fingers and when she began paying attention to them again she realized they had been subconsciously working well alongside Claire's, making Ada's breath come harder and faster. Ada was writhing and her head snapped back while her body twisted. Sheva went deeper inside her with Claire who knew just where to touch and soon Ada's arms were around both their shoulders for support and she was emitting deep, drawn out moans.

When it was over Ada leaned heavily against the wall with the rest of her weight supported by the other two women. All the strength had left her legs and she was having trouble forming words. Claire winked at Sheva and awkwardly moved around behind her. "Your turn, Ada," Claire said. "Give as good as you get."

Sheva felt Claire's hands slide under her armpits and cup her breasts. She spread her legs and let Ada find room to kneel in front of her. Hot water was hitting her just above the stomach and Ada kept her eyes closed while her tongue founds it was inside Sheva. Electric tension began to build from her loins while bright, prickling pleasure danced from her nipples and breasts into her torso. Claire nibbled at her shoulder, neck, then earlobe, teasing her dark brown nipples until they stiffened like rubber. Ada's hands were moving over her stomach, down her thighs, and to her buttocks where they squeezed her tight. She let herself relax and enjoy the doubling of familiar sensations until she felt something snap within her, and her knees buckled. Claire held her tighter while Ada's tongue flickered faster, intensifying and drawing out the orgasm that wiggled through her body and out her mouth in the form of a long, breathy sigh.

Sheva slid down, with Claire's help, to her knees and locked eyes with Ada. Understanding, Sheva turned and they pressed together to fit in the tub side by side, kneeling before Claire who had braced a leg against the edge of the tub.

Hot water was now coming down on her back just above her buttocks. With her right cheek pressing against Ada's left, they both brought their tongues to Claire's slit. Sheva felt the short stubble of her pubic hair scratch her nose, as she met Ada's tongue with her own. Ada licked high, while Sheva probed low, feeling Claire's hand on her head for balance. Sheva had to pay careful attention to what she was doing but enjoyed it none the less, kissing Ada every so often before stretching her tongue to touch Claire.

Sheva's hand went under Claire's leg and caressed a buttock, meeting Ada's hand doing the same. Sheva decided to put her tongue and lips over the tender skin where Claire's leg met her hip, and when her teeth came down for a light nibble, Claire shuddered. Her hand tightened and her weight shifted against the wall as Ada's licking intensified, forcing Sheva to pull back and stoke her leg while watching Claire come.

By now the water getting lukewarm and Sheva shut it off while Claire recovered under Ada's caresses. Sheva stepped gingerly out of the tub and stretched, raising her arms to the ceiling as she yawned. She needed sleep and the loss of her BSAA comrades hurt but she felt refreshed all the same. -We will catch Irving, we'll get to the bottom of this Uroboros business, and we'll find Claire's brother. After what we've beaten there's nothing that can stop us,- she thought. They would also learn what was going on with Jill Valentine. The buzzing pleasure she felt in her mind made her certain of all these things

Claire was sitting at the edge of the tub, stroking Ada's head while lost in her own idle euphoria. Her skin glowed from being damp while Ada's seemed to shine with a healthy pink color. Even the walls and floor seemed less drab to Sheva.

And then a thought struck her like a sniper's bullet, filling her with panic. "Oh, damn it," she said, her fists clenching. Claire's eyes widened while Ada's features hardened in anticipation of a problem to solve.

"We don't have any towels," said Sheva.

**To be continued...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven.**

"This is a weird place," Claire shouted from the small deck of an airboat as briny estuary water moistened her leg and arms. She could barely hear herself over the engine of the airboat as it plowed through the water. The marshland proper was to the north, and she could see where it was hemmed in by high weeds. The sky was overcast from a storm blowing in from the coast making gray and green the only two colors in sight.

What made Claire think the place strange was the man-made structures she could see around the edges of the estuary. Thin mud walls had been built in the water and near the center were rotting wooden poles where platforms had been built and wires strung from one pole to the next.

"The tribe that lives here is getting more and more modern," shouted Sheva. "They've also become more standoffish in recent years, given the civil wars of their supposedly more civilized neighbors."

"How do they feel about living next to an oil field?" Ada asked. "Something tells me they're not getting paid for use of the land."

Sheva's laugh was harsh and she opened the throttle on the airboat, speeding them towards the western side of the estuary and up a straight channel towards a distant flame that acted as a beacon to travelers. "There are other ways to the oil field," shouted Sheva. "But this is the quickest if you're in a hurry. You said your contact was going to meet us here?"

"That's what Hunnigan said," shouted Claire.

Before leaving the town where they fought the giant they had all caught up on a few hours of sleep, not wanting to cross the marshes at night. Near sunrise Claire had contacted Hunnigan to inform her of their plans and as it happened the marshlands was where the weapons dealer Hunnigan had mentioned before was operating from. Claire thought it awfully convenient but trusted Hunnigan despite the strange hesitancy in the woman's voice.

She had been told to look for a fiery beacon and saw it in the form of a flaming brazier set atop a jumble of wooden poles ornamented with animal and human skulls. It was stuck at the end of a sandbar and Claire could see a high wall had been built over it that extended far into the weeds on either side. Claire thought the skulls to be a bit gruesome but when she saw who would be providing them with better weapons the skulls ceased to be a concern.

"Good 'ta see 'ya again!" shouted a man in a dark blue hooded coat while Claire groaned. He was hunched over from the weight of the items he carried beneath his coat as well as from a heavy backpack he wore. The lower part of his face was obscured by a bandanna and his eyes were a bright blue although they betrayed no expression.

Claire thought for sure the universe had simply run out of ideas to have put this man in her path once more. She had hoped Spain would be the last she would ever see of him and his perverted bargains and could not fathom how this man, who she had taken to calling "The Pervert," had come to be here in Western Africa.

"Your contact?" Sheva asked, getting off the boat with Ada who approached the man with a bounce in her step and gave him a light hug which made Claire feel ill.

"Hunnigan...I should have seen it coming," Claire growled under her breath. She had only told one official person about the pervert, and it had been Ingrid Hunnigan who far from being repulsed seemed intrigued.

"Just the man I was hoping to see," said Ada. "It looks like we didn't bring enough guns, again."

"Heh, heh," chuckled the pervert. "No such thing as enough when it comes to armament. Ye've come to the right place, ladies."

Claire was about to call Hunnigan and tell her a few things but the confused look on Sheva's face stopped her. Taking Sheva by the arm she led her as close to out of earshot from the pervert as she could. "Here's the quick version. I met him in Spain. He's a weapons dealer with enough hardware to supply a small war, only he doesn't take money he takes pictures. Understand?"

Sheva nodded, her brow furrowing as she looked at the pervert. "And he puts these pictures up on the Internet?"

Claire shook her head slowly. "He has some stupid elite magazine or something. I've never seen the pictures on any site, and he has photos of Ashley Graham so I assume there'd be something if he leaked them."

Claire wished she hadn't said this, as Sheva's face brightened considerably. "Oh, well...let's see what he's got, then."

Claire's hand clapped to her forehead as Sheva strode on past her and introduced herself to the pervert. Meanwhile Claire took notice of the closed gate set into the long wall that ran along the sandy island. There was a handle on the gate and above it an indent shaped like a hexagon. -Looks like a special key slot,- she thought as she scouted for alternate means of passing the wall. Her first thought was Ada's grapple gun would be the key to getting past it but saw the top part of the wall was, perhaps by design, somewhat flimsy. It didn't look as though it could be knocked down easily but neither would it support a person's weight as they attempted to climb it. The wall also stretched far into the weeds on either side of the island and she did not like the vibe she got from the dense foliage.

"How do we get past this gate?" Claire asked, interrupting the others' conversation as she walked over to them.

"Ah, some bloke and his lady friend paid me to break up the key and hide it around the estuary here," said the pervert.

Claire's fists clenched and her eye twitched but she was able to calm herself with a deep breath. "How many pieces, and where are they?"

"Heh, heh. I could tell ye, for a price."

She hummed and closed her eyes, praying for serenity. It found her, and she was able to adorn a soft, false smile. "Well we're in a hurry so name your price already," she said, knowing Ada was up for anything, as was Sheva from the look of her.

"Alright," said the pervert. "So that's a light machine gun for you," he pointed to Ada. "A shotgun for you," he said to Sheva, "And they said you might like a magnum. Revolver or semi-automatic? All I've gots is the revolver so I hope you wanted that. I can throw in a few speed loaders in if ye like, no charge."

"Sure, why not," Claire said, hoping her false enthusiasm was noted by at least two of her present company.

"Heh, heh. Good customers are worth it. Shame yer little blond friend ain't here, she was a natural."

Claire coughed loudly. "So when do we pay? Now or later?"

"Here's what I had in mind. My new catalog is comin' out and those weapons you ordered are part of my new stock, so I need some juicy shots of 'em in action. I'll tell ya where the pieces of the key are, and you can go n' find 'em. If yer pictures are good enough, I'll let ya keep the weapons when you come back. I'll also give you last bit o' key I've got hidden n' can retrieve on my own."

Ada and Sheva nodded, but Claire waited until she had a complete explanation of what he meant by "juicy shots." By the time they were back aboard the airboat, Claire held a camera, their stage directions which was complete with a map to the key piece locations, and she wore a new outfit, as did the other two women.

"I really should be offended," said Sheva, looking down at her clothes before starting the airboat's engine. She wore a two piece outfit, the lower half being a leopard print skirt with red silk that left nothing to the imagination. Her top was a stringy bikini, also leopard print, while around her neck she wore a wreath of teeth and bones, mixed with a few feathers. The pervert had wanted he to apply some tribal body paint but he had misplaced his supply of it.

Ada wore a red micro-bikini. A strip of red cloth no wider than three of her fingers hid her womanhood, while even narrower fabric stretched over her nipples, leaving her pale breasts mostly exposed. The entire thing was held together by two long strings and her backside covering was non-existent. "I could get used to this," said Ada, snapping the strand of fabric over one of her breasts to straighten it, giving Claire a brief glimpse of her soft nipple.

"I...actually can't complain," said Claire. She wore a sports bra and a pair of shorts that hugged her tight enough so that all that the only thing concealed was the color of her skin. The sports bra she wore pushed her breasts up and was cut to show cleavage. The shorts had a similar lifting effect on her buttocks and she could feel Ada and Sheva's eyes on her.

"Remember camera girl, he wanted shots of all three of us," shouted Sheva.

"I heard him," Claire shouted back.

The airboat began to slow as it drew closer to a clump of weeds alongside which a long wooden dock had been built. Sheva easily drew the airboat up next to the wooden platform and stopped it. Claire tethered it with a rope and the three women followed a narrow path through the weeds while carrying their new weapons. Claire's hands were free as her magnum was holstered at her hip and she snapped a few shots of Ada following Sheva into a curtain of high grass. Ada cast a sultry glance behind her and Claire took the shot, wondering what Ada was planning.

They came to a small clearing where an altar of sticks and human bones had been built. Atop it, next to two white skulls was something metallic, jagged on one side with straight, even lines on the other. The alter was surrounded by a high wall of grass, and the sand around the alter was smooth. "Grab it and let's go," Claire said, looking behind her.

Sheva picked the key piece up and was tucking it into the side-pouch she wore when high pitched hooting tore through the grass. The grass began to sway as chanting filled the air and dark, gray shapes could be seen amidst the long green blades.

"Oh, no," said Sheva, sounding more sad than afraid.

Ada opened fire, spraying a wide section of grass with the small machine gun she carried, using the muzzle's jump to carry it sideways like a scythe. Sheva stepped back towards the alter and raised her long black shotgun when a large, thickly muscled black man stepped out of hiding. He was naked aside from a grass skirt and greasy body paint. His mouth was ringed in dried blood giving him an almost clownish appearance.

He carried a long spear and raised it at Sheva, whose shotgun pellets scattered his face into meaty chunks. He fell back dead as two more large men stepped into his place heedless of the black, smoking barrel of Sheva's gun. She crumpled one with a blast to his stomach and shot the third man in the face.

Claire swore at herself for leaving her pistol and assault rifle on the airboat. She considered the magnum at her hip to be an emergency weapon, something to be used on giants or bat-monsters. Still, she unbuttoned the leather flap on the holster and began taking pictures of Sheva and Ada as they fought.

She got two shots of Ada firing into the grass. The bikini she wore may as well have not existed but it was noticeable in the next few shots when a man charged from out of the weeds holding a spear. She side stepped him and avoided being disemboweled by pulling in her flat, lithe stomach. She shot the man in the back after he went past and Claire's camera continued to click.

Claire's next set of pictures fist showed Sheva facing the grass while in retreat. The next image showed a spear point attached to a frightful shadow coming at Sheva from the tall grass. The next photograph showed her pushing the spear aside with the butt of the shotgun. The picture taken less than a second later had Sheva bringing the gun butt up into the man's chin. He wore some kind of clay helmet which shattered. Claire's pictures did not get a clear look at his face, but they showed Sheva kicking him to the side with one of her long, powerful brown legs and then firing at him as he tried to rise to his feet.

The bushes next to Claire rustled and she turned, expecting a spear to come at her belly. She was surprised and nearly impaled from the top of her chest down when a large man leaped from out of the grass like a panther, driving his spear into the sand where she had been standing before twisting to the side.

"Claire, the camera!" shouted Ada.

Claire tossed her the camera and her hand fell on the wooden holster of the magnum, but she left it alone. The spear came out of the dirt and she danced backwards as the man stabbed at her with it. "Shoot him!" Sheva shouted, leveling her shotgun to do the deed but Claire could not get back far enough to rule out the risk of being hit with a stray pellet.

She tripped over something and landed on her buttocks. She quickly saw she had fallen over a fallen spear but also saw the man had leaped into the air again. He attained an impossible height for a human and she was so surprised she hesitated and was nearly impaled.

While the clothes she wore clung tight to her flesh, displaying every intimate curve she had, the stretchy material yielded to her every move and covered less of her as her body bent and tucked to escape the spear. She rolled forward, behind the spearman, and picked up the spear she had tripped over. He spun around like a dervish, holding his arms apart and screeching a challenge. Claire could hear the camera snapping and she took a test jab at her enemy with the spear he held.

She recalled her days as a javelin thrower in high school and rather than try to fence with a Plaga infested man who had likely trained his entire life to use the weapon, she danced backwards to put some distance between them only not enough to encourage him to give chase. She waved at Sheva to lower her gun then hoped she still had a knack for throwing long, pointy sticks.

Claire's spear cut through the air like an arrow and she was pleased to see she had not lost her old skill. Her muscles remembering what she had taught them years ago and had most recently practiced on a giant salamander swimming in a Spanish lake.

The majini swatted her projectile out of the air with his spear, and it clattered into the nearby weeds.

Claire let out a long sigh and drew her magnum while Ada laughed. Claire held the wooden grip tight, leaning forward and bending her elbow slightly before squeezing the trigger. A long flash of fire shot from the barrel accompanied by a cloud of smoke. The sound was like a solid weight hitting her in the chest and her wrists felt the shock as they were jolted backward. The bullet tore through the majini's neck, severing his spine. His head came off his body and fell to the ground while the body took two steps forward before falling forward.

"Ow," Sheva said, holding her ear with her free hand and cradling the shotgun in the other. "I was going to say you were being silly not firing that thing earlier, but thanks for holding off.

"The gun suits you," said Ada, shaking her head and walking over to Claire whose ears were still ringing. She tossed the camera idly to Sheva who nearly dropped it.

"How so?" Claire asked, opening the cylinder and replacing the spent round. The weapon held six shots and while she had speed loaders it still took so long to reload she didn't want to be down a shot when it counted.

"I don't know, it just does," Ada said, sliding her arm around Claire's hip as she holstered the magnum. Ada gave a sultry look towards Sheva, who came in closer, snapping pictures. Claire did her best to play along and kissed Ada, extending her tongue as they mugged for the lens.

Back on the airboat Claire rested and enjoyed the ride, pretending they were somewhere nicer but enjoying the view all the same. She took pictures of Ada leaning seductively over Sheva, making a bizarre contrast with her light skin and red micro-bikini to Sheva's mocha hued body with animal print covering. Claire saw the camera was nowhere near full but stopped taking pictures all the same after getting a few shots of Sheva and Ada's tongues dancing in the late morning sun.

Ada came down to stand close to Claire, using her for balance as she leaned in to speak into her ear. "Almost like old times," said Ada.

"Have you thought about what I said? Back in town?" asked Claire. She felt as though bringing it up had been a mistake, that it was on Ada to respond or not to her ultimatum. Their shower the night before had softened her to Ada again and she knew that was trouble.

Sheva stopped the airboat in front of another long platform. This one was attached to a mud and stick wall that bowed out from the weeded area, forming a wide pond on the other side. Towards the sea of weeds, across a hundred feet or so of calm water was a cluster of huts raised high off the water on wooden stilts. Claire could see a ladder beneath them leading to the upper platforms. "Looks like we'll have to swim," said Ada.

"Hold on, something's off about this," Sheva said. "Look, there."

She pointed to a long log floating in the water two dozen feet out. It was mostly submerged and Claire scanned the area around it, trying to see what Sheva meant. Claire thought it odd, as there did not seem to be any large trees around but it was possible this marshland was not completely natural. People flooded areas all the time for different reasons.

Then the log blinked.

"That's a saltwater crocodile, but even they don't get _that_ big." said Sheva, backing away from the edge of the water. "There's more." Sheva, pointed to at least two more crocodiles that looked like debris in the water. "Going in there would be suicide. We could never be sure we'd shot them all, and even if you had someone covering you they'd get from under the water."

Ada went back to the airboat and the other two followed, but stopped when she retrieved something from the small bag she had stowed on board. It was her grapple gun and pistol belt. She set her machine pistol down and fit the belt around her waist. As she did so, Claire decided she should take pictures, not wanting the pervert to stiff them on bullets after their trials were over.

"The angle isn't great, but I don't see any other options," Ada said, firing the grapple gun. It sailed over the water and started to arc downward so that they all thought it would come up short. Luckily it caught on a wooden rail and after two tugs Ada was satisfied it would hold. "Maybe we should..." Ada's voice was cut off by the gun's retraction mechanism going off. The gun was nearly ripped from her hand but she held on and was yanked off the end of the dock and into the water, where the impossibly powerful mechanism dragged her splashing over the water like a large piece of bait.

"Ada!" Claire shouted, dropping the camera and diving in. She cursed herself for a complete fool the second the cool water bit down around her body but she had committed to this course of action and so began furiously kicked her legs, expecting them to be bitten off at any moment by massive, reptilian jaws.

She brought her head up once to see Ada had been dragged to the platform by her grapple gun and was being hoisted into the air. A crocodile came out of the water like a missile and Ada pulled her bare legs up just in time as the rows of dagger teeth came snapping together inches bellow her buttocks.

Claire felt leathery, rough skin brush under her belly and her body pushed itself past its normal limits to propel her through the water. Soon felt the hard wood of the ladder she had been swimming for. Out of breath, she snapped her head towards the dock she had swam from and saw a reptilian nose poking up from the water not three feet from her.

The magnum seemed to leap into her hand and she fired at the snout, blowing it apart and making bubbles and blood churn the water more. She kept her grip on the weapon but the sight of what was likely at least five more crocodile's swimming towards her sent her up the ladder where Ada was waiting with an expression that was part amusement and part anger. Claire felt herself turning red about the ears and she feigned a coughing fit to keep from meeting Ada's face.

Ada's laughter was light and bubbling and ended with a slap on Claire's back. "I make one little mistake and so you have to top it with suicidal stupidity. Claire, dear, what the hell were you thinking?"

"I don't know," said Claire, unloading the magnum. "I guess I wasn't." She began blowing into the cylinder and about the chamber in an attempt to dry it in lieu of a real cleaning.

She forced herself to meet Ada's eyes. She was not some child being reprimanded, after all. She saw the anger had faded but the bemused look remained. After a moment Ada's eyes lowered and her mouth curled back nearly imperceptibly, giving her puzzled look a tone of satisfaction. "Thanks for trying to rescue me," Ada said, giving Claire a peck on her red cheek. "Let's get that key then think of a way back without feeding the animals."

Claire followed Ada, who had her pistol drawn. The magnum had been reloaded and holstered, and Claire hoped she would not need it again. As they walked past where Sheva could see them, Claire gave her a wave to let her know all was well. She had left her communicator on the airboat as per the pervert's request that as little gear as possible be on their bodies.

Their communicators had been left on the airboat because the pervert had asked them to keep as little gear on their bodies as possible. Claire gave a thumbs-up to Sheva who had retrieved an assault rifle from the airboat and was overlooking with water.

The platform they were on appeared to be something akin to an apartment complex, or recreation area. There was a hut near them where the ladder was, which was empty, and two others past a lowered lounge-type area that was near an opening left in the platform above the water. Benches covered in animals skins, mostly zebra, encircled the pit and Claire could imagine people sitting around them, dropping scraps to the crocodiles bellow. -Hopefully we don't end up being the scraps,- she thought, as they entered the first of the other two huts. It had no furniture aside from piles of furs, ornate pots, and shield and spear displays. Claire took down one of the spears but left the shield, thinking it too brittle.

In the third hut was an ornate wooden box which contained a piece of the key. Their satisfaction was short lived when then thatched roof above them began to whisper and shake. Heavy thumps came from outside and tall majini wearing grass skirts and carrying spears jumped in through the windows.

"Scatter," said Ada, firing her pistol. Claire saw why their new weapons were necessary as the fierce majini reacted to her shots as though a fly had bitten him despite the terrible damage done to his face and skull.

Claire, still wanting to avoid using the magnum, drove her spear into a majini's chest bellow his neck, which felled him. She heard something wet explode behind her and saw a great worm spinning from the top of a man's torso as Ada fired at it.

A majini tried to impale Ada from behind, but she sidestepped his spear and kicked it up with her knee, sending it into the worm-man. She brought her elbow across the back of the spearman's head and when he went forward, stunned, she put a bullet there.

Claire tucked the key piece in her holster belt and ran from the hut, only to encounter two majini coming up the short set of stairs from the lounge area, carrying spiked shields and long spears. "Ada!" she shouted. "Little help!"

"You're on your own, girl," Ada shouted from inside the hut as more gunfire cut the air.

Claire looked around for something she could use against them but swore and instead drew the magnum. The bullet tore through the first man and his shield and nearly killed the one behind him. Claire's second round took him down and ripped up a chunk of wood from the floor.

Ada came out the door and stood next to Claire. "That ate up a lot of ammo," she said. "And got me excited."

She pulled Claire tighter and kissed her on the lips. Claire returned it for a moment, tasting Ada's mouth and smelling the sweat on her skin, before breaking away, however she didn't leave Ada's side. "Save it for the photos," Claire said.

Ada sighed and they made their way back across the wooden platform, stepping gingerly over the dead majini and trying not to slip in their blood. They reached the place where she could see Sheva and Claire held up the key. Sheva gave her a thumbs up, then gestured at the water before holding her palms in the air.

"Tell her to start shooting," said Ada. "We'll have to swim for it."

Claire was thinking about how she would sign that to Sheva and considered shouting at the top of her lungs, but then an idea struck her and she clapped her hands together. "You said earlier we shouldn't fee the animals. Maybe we should."

Ada's eyebrow went up in confusion and was followed by the other when she understood. "Good thinking."

The went to the dead majini and Claire began tossing them into the water. Ada found some rope and tied it around one's legs, then with Claire's help suspended it just out of what they guessed was the crocodiles leaping range. The blood from its wounds dripped into the water, leaving wide, circular ripples and soon crocodiles were swimming around it, trying to snag it down while others rolled and tore pieces off the other bodies.

They ran to the ladder and climbed down. "We should take it easy it for a bit, don't attract them," said Ada.

They swam carefully back to the dock, with Claire keeping a hand on the key piece, thinking if she lost it she might as well let herself be eaten by a crocodile. Ada was helped out of the water by Sheva, and both women grabbed Claire's hands to pull her up. As Claire felt her weight shift, she heard a splash behind her.

Something heavy hit her in the back and there was a great pull on her gun belt that drew her into the water. Frantically she kicked backward, farther out into the water and hopefully behind the crocodile's jaws where it could not bite. Claire felt its tough hide against her wet and battered skin as somehow she rolled onto its back. Its powerful muscles made the slightest of movements and its body went forward like a missile, scraping against her and leaving her free in the water.

She kicked until she bumped the dock and threw her hands up while her head went under water she shot both hands into the air, praying she would feel the grip of a human on those limbs before a reptilian one on her legs, and that the key would not slip from her shorts. She felt the hands and was hoisted clear of the water where she flopped on the wooden dock followed by the giant crocodile.

The entire dock groaned under its weight and its stubby legs could not get its entire body up, but it had enough leverage to surge forward with its mouth open, scooping Claire's legs in its lower jaws. She spread them apart as the mouth snapped down, missing her thighs and crotch by less than an inch. Vaguely aware than she was screaming, she curled into a ball while at the same time Ada and Sheva had taken hold of her and yanked her backward once more.

Claire's mind was a blur of activity and motion and she was not entirely herself until she realized she was back on the airboat, sitting with her knees tucked under her chin, rocking while she clutched the magnum in a white-knuckled grip while holding the key piece in her other hand. They spray of the water was on her and now every log and every small sandbar was to her a hungry crocodile.

"Too bad we had no one to take a picture," said Ada. "That was pretty intense."

"I had it set to record film," said Sheva, her voice shaking. "We got it."

Ada bounced across the airboat and picked up the camera. She sat down next to Claire and began watching the video play back over the camera screen. "I wonder if our friend will let me keep this," said Ada. "I look pretty hot saving you."

Claire studied Ada's profile as she viewed the recording and slowly began to uncurl from her sitting, rocking position. She peered over to watch the recording and as she saw the crocodile's jaws narrowly miss her, her hand lingered between her legs where a tight, tingling sensation had begun to stir. -What the hell is wrong with me?- she asked herself as Ada chuckled over how fast three women in the video were now running.

XXX

Claire could hear the camera's clicks become more infrequent which told her Ada was nearing an orgasm. Claire felt close herself and feared them both coming at the same time might cost them their balance and send them into the water.

She pushed up on Ada's buttocks to let herself breath better. She was lying on her back with the hard deck of the airboat beneath her. Between her legs was Sheva, whose fingers she could feel inside her, teasing her slowly. Straddling her face while turned toward Sheva was Ada, who held the camera as well and was taking pictures of things Claire could only feel.

Claire had not been the only one to have been aroused by their fight with the giant crocodiles. It took little prompting from Ada to get them all together, although she did point out the pervert would likely give them a better deal on ammunition of they went above and beyond his requests.

Claire felt Ada lean forward and heard the sound of lips and tongues grappling with each other. She caressed Ada's round, tight backside and felt the lithe woman's body shift as her orgasm started. Claire strained her arms to keep her in position and her tongue made sure she got the most out of the experience by pressing upward hard onto Ada's clitoris. Ada let out deep, satisfied sigh then a yelp as she was bitten by Claire on her left buttock. She rolled to the side, her mouth open in a surprised expression that showed her white teeth.

Ada snapped a photo of Claire, who allowed herself a sultry smile. At least she hoped that was what it was; she had a feeling she was terrible at this.

"Get a shot of this," Sheva said, picking one of Claire's legs up and resting it on her shoulder. Sheva had removed her lower garments and she positioned her womanhood over Claire's and began to grind herself into Claire. Fingers and tongues had been better, but Claire and Sheva soon found a proper connection; Sheva held her leg tighter and gave her calf a playful bite as the camera clicked.

Sheva put more of her weight down on Claire who moaned when powerful waves of pleasure began to surge through her. She braced herself on the deck with her elbows and in a few more thrusts from Sheva's hips, which were returned with eagerness, Claire was coming. She did not try to be quiet, knowing the only things around to hear were crocodiles and majini. She slapped the deck with her hand as one final wave went through her making her back arch and her throat emit tight, strained sounds.

Sheva lay back on the deck for a moment before staggering to her feet to put her skirt back on before taking her seat in the airboat's pilot chair. "This feels sort of wrong," said Sheva. "I mean, these people we've been shooting are victims of a parasite and all."

"They're already dead," said Ada. "Think of it this way, to avenge them you'll need weapons and to get weapons..." She shook the camera lightly, holding it up.

Sheva nodded ad she started the boat's engine. Claire put her skimpy clothes back on and took some pride in how reluctant she had been to go along with Ada's games compared to Sheva, but wondered if it had done her any good after all.

Ada had not put her micro-bikini back on and did not seem like she was going to bother with it. Claire tried not to look at her nude form, sitting with one leg bent on the deck while water from the airboat's forward motion sprayed over her skin. Claire regretted her love bite now, and thought she could be rightly accused of stringing Ada along.

With two key pieces that meant the pervert held the last and so Sheva steered the boat back to the sandbar where their quest had began. Having heard their approach the pervert was prepared to meet them with a small table folded out containing mostly boxes of bullets and sets of clothing.

Claire handed the camera over to the pervert with a withering look, one that he seemed not to notice as he mumbled appreciatively and handed her the final key piece. "Help yerselves," he said, waiving to the table.

They divided up the ammunition for their weapons and Claire thought if they ended up needing all of it they were either bad shots or in for a war. She broke down the magnum and gave it a brisk cleaning so there would be no problems with it later and exchanged her wet ammunition for dry.

The pervert was chuckling to himself, making small sounds of approval as he scanned the pictures. "Oh, yeah, that's nice. This issue of the catalog is gonna be a hit. Heh, heh, take what you like from the table, you'll see I got ya some better outfits."

Claire frowned over the outfits, suspecting at who had supplied him with their specific measurements, but had her eye on one set of clothes in particular.

"I think I'm going to keep this," Sheva said, looking herself over. "It's offensive, but my other clothes stink and that corset...it's a corset." Claire saw the outfit Sheva had been eying was akin to a slutty Halloween Red Riding Hood costume. Sheva appreciated, however, the red riding cloak and draped it over herself, leaving the hood down.

Ada picked up a red dress and let it unfurl, showing it to be of a similar design she'd worn in the past. Spaghetti straps for the shoulders, it had a plunging neckline and a high slit. Ada folded it back up and stuck it in a pouch she carried around her hip. "My favorite look, but I think for now I'll stick to my birthday suit if no one minds," she said, folding the dress and putting in her knapsack.

"No complaints here," said the pervert, snapping a photo of her.

Claire picked up the outfit set out for her and was surprised to see a pair of blue jeans, although the material was different. The pervert chuckled as she started to put them on, and had to take off her shorts to do so. They were easily the tightest jeans she'd ever worn but rather than constrict her legs it was as though she was wearing a coat of paint.

"Like the pants?" asked the pervert. "A special design. Got the nice lifting effect of a pair of jeans with none of the mobility loss. You want a real cozy fit, lose yer panties."

"I think I'll hold on to them," said Claire.

"Did I say lose? I meant trade," he said. "Those .45s you just got from me, they're a special load. Should do a number on these tribal types. Maybe you noticed they weren't as, ah, upset by your rounds as those others boys have been?"

Claire slowly took her pants off, then removed her panties. She kept her gaze fixed on the pervert, sending daggers of disapproval his way which he maddeningly took no notice of, and chuckled happily when she handed him her underwear. He tucked the garment into a plastic bag and then into his coat. "You are so creepy," said Claire, now dressed.

"And you no longer have embarrassin' panty lines," he said cheerily.

The rest of the outfit was a red, shoulderless top that displayed much of Claire's midriff. She left her red vest open and thought she had ended up dressed fairly sensibly compared to her companions.

"What's up ahead, do you know?" She asked the pervert as they found room on their bodies for the weapons they had carried in plus the new.

"A village," said the pervert. "You go down a little brook, ye can't miss it. Whole tribe will be tryin' ta kill ye, but past that's an oil facility which where I'm guessin' yer headed."

Claire and Sheva fit the key pieces into the slot on the door and heard something click. They slid it open and followed a sandy path downward through the grassy area beyond. It was flooded in many places and boards and logs had been set over the muddy sections. Claire expected dark forms to come out of the grass once more, but everything was silent and unmoving save from the sway the wind put into the plants. They reached the small brook the pervert had spoken of and followed it down until they saw a high tower built of logs and thatch looming over the forest of grass.

"Stop," said Ada. She handed her gear over to Claire and some to Sheva. "Bear with me a second, I have an idea that should make this easier on all of us."

Claire watch, baffled, as Ada went a short distance into the grass where there was a patch of mud and began to roll in it. The mud was dark and sticky, clinging to Ada as though it were paint. Thinking this was some sexual thing Claire vowed not to take part in it, but when Ada began applying the mud to her face Clair realized something else was going on.

Ada, a mud creature now, took her rifle and some of her gear, leaving Claire with her small pack to carry. "Stay here. I'll scope out the village and raise some hell if there's an ambush waiting for us. That should let you slip through to the other side without too much trouble."

Claire wanted to argue but could not think of a better plan and so let Ada disappear into the grass. "So what, we just wait here?" asked Sheva.

"Seems like the plan," said Claire looking up at the high tower and moving closer to the grass so she would not be seen by any lookouts who might occupy it. Ada had taken her communicator, and so she expected to hear from her soon with a report on what the village contained. She hoped all the majini had been in the estuary and the village abandoned.

"She's something else, I'll say that," said Sheva, her voice low.

"She's single. I can set you up," said Claire.

Sheva laughed quietly. "No, thanks. I think I'd prefer someone a little saner."

"That's no one in this business," said Claire, turning to Sheva who was crouched low, her red cloak already wet and stained. Claire's pants were soaked to her knees as well.

"I don't know, you seem to have it together," said Sheva, making Claire's chest tighten. She did not breath for a long moment and felt like she had been tossed something fragile and hot.

"I'm glad someone thinks so," said Claire.

"So...what's life like in the real world with people like Ada?" asked Sheva. "Can you hang out with people you have three ways with on top of airboats?"

Claire was silent for a moment, not sure she had ever had a moment in the real world with Ada. There had been nights and days between spy missions where they went out to dinner or walked around town, but it had all felt like a vacation to Claire, something that would have to end soon to replaced by monotony or harrowing danger. "Ada and I didn't spend much time doing normal things," said Claire. "So I don't know if people like us can do normal things. I wouldn't mind finding out with someone, though."

She felt like she had laid her hand on a stove burner without checking to see if it was hot first. Sheva's face had suddenly become unreadable and the expression on it could have been one of shock or happiness. "Are you asking..." Sheva started to say, but was interrupted by a gunshot.

More shots split the air which someone who did not know Ada well might mistake for panicked suppressing fire, but Claire knew each blast signified a dead or mortally wounded majini. Another sound accompanied the gunfire that to Claire was like the undulating call of hundreds of songbirds, only she knew it to be the war cry uttered by the majini.

"That's our cue," said Claire, leading Sheva up the brook and to the village's entrance. It was a hidden opening behind a wall of thick logs set vertically into the ground. The sand was packed tight beneath their feet and they bound up a short, steep hill before stopping before an overlook on the village, which a complex grouping of thatched roof huts and open-air pavilions. Walkways had been built along the log wall leading between watch towers and platforms. Many of the huts in the village were high on stilts and connected in the same way as the towers. Through their windows Claire could see some were richly decorated with clay pots, weapon displays, and animal hides.

On the far side of the village Claire saw a wooden bridge leading across some kind of wide pit or ditch to a high, rectangular gate which was open. Near it was a large group of majini in the process of clamoring up the high log wall using handholds and ladders built for the purpose. When Ada's gun split the air a majini fall from the wall and landed on the others bellow him eliciting a wave of war whoops from the crowd, all of which were dressed in grass kilts or completely naked save for smeared body paint.

To Claire's surprise and relief they made it to the bridge without being seen by the majini, whose attention was on Ada, wherever she was hiding and sending her lethal shots from. The bridge spanned a deep pit filled with water and wooden spikes. Past the gate on the other side was a gradual slope that led past more grass and was probably the African village equivalent of the suburbs, or so Claire guessed from the tops of the huts she saw above tall grass blades.

"Yi, yi, yi, yi!" came a high pitched voice from around the bend of a swath of grass. The hill must have sloped down steeply on the other side, Claire thought, as they were no other way it had concealed the thing that was marching towards them for as long as it had.

She hoped its position as the top of the hill made his height an optical illusion. If not, the man was nine feet tall, maybe more, for she could not see his head. He wore a massive mask, or helmet, made of carved bones, wood, and beads. At first she thought the helm a gaudy interpretation of a man's skull but saw it was in fact made to mimic a jungle cat.

She aimed her assault rifle at the man's midsection and he reacted to the shots as though someone had bumped him while at the grocery store. He shook his club, which was as long as he was with a head tipped with wooden spikes and rattles.

"Looks like we're caught," said Sheva.

Claire swore and slung the assault rifle over her shoulder then drew her magnum. Holding it with both hands, she fired at the giant majini's knee, severing the leg and sending the brute toppling forward. She ran, keeping the big gun out and skirting the flailing majini as it used its club as crutch. When they were past it and down the the hill she turned and fired again, scoring another shot on the other leg with the same effect as before. Claire hoped his legless body would at least slow the mob behind him.

The thought of hiding in one of the huts occurred to her, but unless she and Sheva could fit into one of the brown, narrow clay pots that had been set out on the porches to catch rainwater they would be found after the most cursory of searches. Instead they kept running, hastening when a new round of war cries soared up from behind.

At the village's border was a ledge that dropped down to a wide lake speckled with tussocks and sandbars. The cliff was extended outward by a wooden dock made of tool-shaped boards. To their right was a comfortable looking gondola, the inside of which was adorned with more zebra skins over benches. A simple lever seemed to control it.

"We don't have enough firepower to hold them all off," said Sheva.

"We only have to keep them away from the gondola controls," said Claire, waving for Sheva to get on the covered cart suspended from the cables. Claire noted they were steel cables and the control box was mechanical.

Sheva looked like she might object but seemed to hold the philosophy that sometimes the wrong action was better than no action, and so stepped onto the gondola. Claire pulled the lever sideways to set it in motion, then with all the destructive energy she could muster pulled it towards her, breaking it where it connected to the base. She tossed the handle over the wooden platform and jumped the gap between platform and gondola.

Both their rifles were aimed now at the gondola control box and Claire began firing single shots into the crowd of majini that showed up on the platform. It took them some time to discover their only hope of stopping the two women was to sever the cables and by then Claire and Sheva were far enough away so making a kill shot was difficult. Sheva was firing three round bursts into the crowd while Claire took her time in felling the majini who tried for the cable. That it was steel and not rope worked greatly in their favor and by the time they were out of rifle range there was not time left to the majini to cut the cable before the ride ended.

"Wow, that was dicey," said Sheva as they came to another wooden platform where crates and sacks of grain had been left to lie around. Claire sat down on a crate and considered calling Ada over her communicator, but decided to wait for Ada to contact her.

Sheva sat down next to her and pulled back her cloak so their bare arms touched. "I was trying to ask you earlier," she said, sounding more afraid than she had been while under attack from the mob of majini. "Are you asking me out?"

Claire nodded too subtly to be noticed, then feeling as though she might cry and jump for joy at the same time, nodded more vigorously. "Yeah," she said. "Yeah, I guess I was."

Sheva seemed to be repressing a grin. "Your ex won't be pissed?"

"She won't be happy," said Claire. "But she was given a choice to make and knew she didn't have forever to make it. She'll probably try to have more three-ways with us, though."

"Can't say as I'd mind that," said Sheva.

Claire put a hand on Sheva's leg and marveled at how different everything now seemed to her. "Just...watch your back," Claire said. "Ada's not a bad person per se, but she's...she's Ada Wong."

"I'm not helpless," said Sheva, slipping her hand under Claire's vest and finding sore muscles with unerring accuracy. Sheva squeezed them, making them loosen and release pleasure as though it were water from a wet sponge.

Claire let her head dip forward as Sheva's hand made her feel good and her mind buzz. Her concerns over her brother, her mission, and Ada melted away for a minute or so and when they were both rested, they stood. Refreshing their rifle magazines they left the wooden platform feeling lighter than they had before.

**To be continued...**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight.**

The mud covering her nude body was dying up and flaking off. The tittering cries of the majini were distant and she could smell the oil facility. Ada liked to think it was Irving himself she could smell and she knew once she reached the place things would get serious.

Everything had gone smoothly yet she felt like a person with a rock in their shoe. Of course the rock for her was Claire Redfield and she had begun to form a blister on Ada during their time in the marsh. She was trying to reconcile seeing Claire swimming after her through crocodile infested water with the sight of her and the BSAA woman together. The way they fought together, how they talked, the mixture was coming together and it would only be a matter of time before they had something with each other. Splitting off from them made the best tactical sense but Ada regretted it now.

-You can have her back with a few easy words,- Ada thought as she crouched beneath some branches and stepped nimbly around a fallen log before moving into a pool of waist-high water. -Just tell her what you're doing here and help her stop Alexia and Wesker.-

She shook her head. The best she could do was quit after this mission but one thing Claire failed to realize was that staying one step ahead of the people she had ruined over the years cost a significant amount of money. She would need the protection of a group like the BSAA who were more apt to lock her in a cell than pay her.

Despite this she tried to envision things working out. She could give the BSAA the slip if she wanted and sell them information on bio-terrorists. They would pay, as would any number of other do-gooder groups working to fight organizations like Umbrella, WilPharma, Tricell, and the Family. But they would not pay as well and had powerful enemies.

The smell of the oil facility was strong and when she came to a mossy hill overlooking a dirt road she knew she had reached it. Crawling forward and taking cover behind a log she could see the facility itself. It a fortress, with a twenty foot high concrete walls surrounding the parts not bordering the river. The road leading to it was dry but near the bottom of the hill were pools of rainbow colored water.

Near the front door were rusted oil drums, stacks of boards and corrugated steel, and large blue plastic barrels which Ada hoped contained water. She wondered how much an eco-terrorist group might pay her to burn this place down, but she had the feeling that might happen for free fairly soon.

She could see over the wall from where she was and through her rifle's scope she spotted several majini doing a poor job of hiding themselves. The men wore simple clothes indicating they would be laborers if they had not been press-ganged into a B.O.W army. -I didn't infect them,- Ada thought. -I'm not responsible.-

When she heard footsteps near the top of the hill her chest grew tight. This would possibly be her last chance to accept Claire's offer but the figure who came into view was not Claire.

He was a tall, bald man dressed in a dirty and torn BSAA uniform. He carried only a pistol and wobbled when he walked. -I wonder if he isn't the captain Sheva was so worried about,- thought Ada.

She could tell he was no rookie by the way he scanned the dirt road for fresh tracks despite looking like he was about to fall asleep. When he came to the front of the facility Ada thought he was going in but instead he sat down on a pile of wooden beams left out for some unknown purpose and cast a glance back up the road. Ada slipped forward through the bushes and down the hill towards him, silent as a cat.

When she was behind him she set her rifle down and drew her knife. Her body swayed whenever his head turned so he would not notice her in his peripheral vision and in one quick movement she hooked her arm under his and brought her knife around to press against his neck.

"Don't. Move," she said, feeling his jugular vein throb against the blade.

"Easy," he said, his palms going up. In his voice he was startled but she could feel no panic in his body.

"Toss the gun," Ada said, and he obeyed. Her mouth was close to his ear and she flicked the lobe with her tongue. "Waiting for someone?"

"Maybe. Do I know you?"

"No, but you will," Ada said. "Name's Ada. You must be from Delta Team."

"Captain Josh Stone," he said. "BSAA. Do you work for Irving?"

"Good thing I don't."

"You must be Ada Wong, then. We had intel that said you might be here."

"For once your intel was correct," Ada said, giving his ear lobe a more serious bite before pushing him forward. She stood with her hips thrust out to one side and held her knife so she could throw it, more out of habit than intention.

Stone picked up his weapon and wiped it on a pant leg. He seemed about to point it at her but instead cocked his head to the side. "Ah...you're naked."

"Your lady friends have my clothes," Ada said and fetched her rifle from the bushes then leaned it against an oil drum. With her knife still out she moved closer to Stone. He backed up a few inches, uncomfortable but not intimidated. "Now, how did that Ndesu manage to kill your entire team? I thought BSAA were supposed to be prepared for that kind of thing?"

His hand latched around her wrist and squeezed in an effort to make her drop her knife. It hurt and she purred.

"I don't hit women," Stone said.

She laughed, interrupting him. "That's what every man says when he wants to hit a woman. Take a swing at me if you want, I'm bored."

Stone released her hand as though throwing it away and stepped back. "You're as crazy as they say. Where are Sheva and Claire?"

"On their way. I ran a little interference for them. Claire seems like a bit of a Dodo bird, but she's quite competent. So is Sheva from what I've seen, but she could use some work."

"Sheva is one of our top agents," said Stone.

"You have no idea," Ada said. "Or do you? No, you don't..." she could tell from his face what his thoughts towards Sheva were. No true romantic interest. Maybe a few fantasies, but there was likely enough between them for what Ada had in mind.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Stone said, looking up the road. "Furthermore, what are you even doing here? You're a wanted criminal."

"I have a question for Ricardo Irving," Ada said. "And it's private."

"We'll see who gets Irving first, then," Stone said. "And don't think you're just going to wander off."

She came towards him again, and once more he let her get close. She looked up into his face and saw he was suited to his position. It took a special brand of fool to chase bioweapons for a living, and an even rarer variety to have pressed on this far after everything that had happened. "Do you have a cloth?" she asked. "This mud isn't helping my complexion."

He handed her a rag and she went over to a blue plastic drum set atop a pile of cinder blocks. She tapped the side and stabbed it with her knife, making clear water come bleeding out. She wet the rag and smelled it. Finding it was pure water and not laced with some caustic chemical she cleaned the mud from her face and stood so the water drenched as much of her as possible. She caught Stone watching and he turned his head in a huff to face the road.

The mud came off in translucent streaks and as more of her light skin was revealed. She cleaned herself slowly, not moving too fast over her breasts, stomach, or thighs. Cleaning from the top down she took time to watch the mud become long rivulets that twisted and streaked from the miniscule irregularities on her skin.

"Hey, soldier boy," she called to Stone. "Help me wash my back. Don't be hostile, now."

With a roll of his eyes he came over and began wiping the mud from her back. "Gentle," she scolded as his wiping was rough from his lack of enthusiasm. "Slower. There, that's it. Lower now, that's already clean. Lower. Don't tell me you don't like girls."

He set the dirty rag on her shoulder and stepped clear of her. "I like women just fine, and I don't know what game you are playing, but I will have no part of it," he said.

Ada washed her buttocks as best she could and cleaned the back of her legs, making sure Stone got a good look at every clean inch of her. She went to return the rag and once more stood uncomfortably close to him while he did not budge. With her eyes locked on his she placed her hand between his legs and felt his erection.

Stone leaped back, shouting. "What the hell woman!?"

Ada's fingers danced as they dangled next to her hip. "You know I could take care of that for you. I imagine it's pretty hard to fight with that thing all stiff like that."

"You..I don't need this."

Ada fixed Stone with her best bedroom smile. "They won't be here for another hour at least," she said. "I'll make it quick. I've got magic fingers, you know."

She saw his eyes narrow. He was mulling it over, and she knew she had won. "Fingers? A quick one?"

Ada nodded. "It's been a while since I've seen a cock come. Like I said, I'm bored."

"If you insist," he said, sounding angry with himself as he moved to the pile of timbers where he had been sitting before. He undid the front of his pants and fumbled for a moment before pulling his pants down past his buttocks. Ada walked over, noting how uncomfortable he seemed as well as his erection.

It was large, and thick, and Ada thought it a shame Stone was not more of a ladies' man. She knelt in front of him and he spread his legs as far as his pants would allow. Gripping the base of his cock, she squeezed it gently, making it bulge near the tip. She let it brush her face as she brought it to her mouth, enjoying the warmth and softness of it, something she missed with most dildos.

She kept her lips tight over the tip while working up a mouthful of saliva, which she let dribble down before making it an even coating with her tongue. She let him flop of of her grip and spit on her hand before quickly pumping him, making his shaft go as rigid as possible.

He let out a sigh and looked up, over her head. She gave the tip of his cock a flick with her tongue to get his attention. "Been a while, hasn't it?"

"I get by," he said.

"It's always better when someone else does it. Provided they know what they're doing."

"I suppose," he said in the tone of a man trying to avoid a conversation with his barber.

"For a guy getting a free hand job, you're not very appreciative."

"This was your idea, not mine," Stone said.

"Best idea I've had in a while. Maybe you'll let me do a little more?"

"No," he said. "It's just this or nothing."

Ada found herself liking Josh Stone and felt a little bad about her plan. Of course there was always a chance it would not work. Timing a cock could be tricky. "I'd ask you to return the favor, then, but I don't think you'd do me justice."

"What's that supposed to mean? Forget it. Talking makes it take longer."

-That it does,- Ada thought, now keeping her ears peaked for the sound of footsteps. Her hand was moving slow now and she could feel his flesh become more resistant as it engorged with blood. His testicles had also tightened which meant something in some men, and nothing in others. She had to be careful, reading the signs of a body she was not familiar with. Had she done this before with him, perhaps a few times, she would have been able to make him come on cue but he was like a type of helicopter she had never flown before.

Stone's legs were shaking as he tried to force himself to come without acting like he was a willing participant in this. Ada kept moving slowly, holding her thumb against the base of his shaft and going lightly over the head of it. "I thought this was going to be quick," he said.

"Talking makes it take longer," she said, and avoided turning her head when she heard dirt scuffling over the hump in the road. A few more seconds went by and before Stone could move, she dipped her head over his cock and sucked, flicking her tongue over the tip of him.

When she felt him start to go, she abruptly stood and gave his cock one last squeeze, making him gasp. She looked to the top of the hill and saw on Sheva's face the look she'd been hoping to see. Claire was merely rolling her eyes. -As usual,- Ada thought, walking away from Stone to greet the two women as they came down the path.

Stone stumbled into the bushes in the manner of a man who had been shot. Ada clucked her tongue, feeling a vague sense of loss at what would have been a near perfect hand job. "Do you have my dress?" Ada asked Claire, who took the red garment out of a knapsack and tossed it to Ada without speaking.

"I see you've met Josh," said Sheva.

"Yes. I didn't get to know him well, though, all he would talk about was you," said Ada, slipping the thin red fabric over her head and tying it up around the waist.

"Sheva, Mrs. Redfield," Stone said, having returned from the bushes. Ada could see no signs of come on his pants. "I'm glad to see you're safe."

"Same," said Claire, glaring at Ada.

"Josh...what happened?"

Stone looked at Ada and for a moment she thought he was going to be stupid enough to acknowledge what had been going on, but he caught on in time and explained how the giant Ndesu had killed his men. Apparently the thing had not been completely without cunning, as it had waited until the men felt somewhat secure before rushing from its hiding place behind a building.

The psychological effect of bioweapons, even on experienced anti-bioterror soldiers, was well known to all in the business of fighting them and it played out in textbook form here, according to Stone's labored story. His men had not been able to mount a coordinated offense and many panicked only to be felled by the majini who dared venture close to the Ndesu. He seemed as embarrassed over the loss as he had been over being seen with Ada.

"We were able to kill it," Sheva said. "We were also ordered to withdraw, but as you can see..."

Between Claire and Sheva, Josh was filled in on the happenings of their travels and Ada heard how they crossed the rest of the marshlands. "This is bad, Josh. I don't know if you saw it, but back a ways is what's left of some kind of clinic...there are Tricell tents and all these documents they left behind."

Sheva showed Stone her mobile device which she said she'd used to copy some of the more incriminating papers that had been left in old steel filing cabinets. "What does all this mean?" asked Stone.

"The Sodibaya tribe, Tricell was pretending to inoculate them against a disease but instead they infected them with the new Las Plagas strain," said Sheva. "It killed all the children, most of the women, and transformed all the men into majini."

Stone's eyes went wide. "Tricell did this, you say? But aren't they..."

"Part of the Global Pharmaceutical Consortium, yes," said Sheva. "They help fund the BSAA, Josh. Don't you see? We were sent into Kijuju to be slaughtered, now we're being told to pull out without any sort of support."

"I'm afraid I don't see your point," said Stone. "Not all missions go like clockwork, you know this."

Ada cleared her throat and got their attention. "This whole mission of yours stinks, Josh," she said.

"Call me Stone."

"I pointed out to Sheva earlier that poor Claire is here is once again searching for her brother because the BSAA wouldn't let him go looking for Jill Valentine, another BSAA agent you might have heard of. They had good intel practically handed to them and didn't act on it. Strange, no?"

"I think it's strange we're listening to you," Stone said. "What's even stranger is why we're standing around discussing this. How does this change our having to capture Irving?"

"It doesn't," said Ada. While her exterior was calm as ever her mind was a spinning tornado. Her advances on Stone now seemed less like a calculated move to drive a wedge between Sheva and Claire and more like an insane act of destruction done solely to cause chaos in the mad hope that the debris landed in her favor.

"But here's something to keep in mind," Ada said, returning her thoughts to the moment. "The head of Tricell's West Africa division is Excella Gionne. Heard of her?"

"She's supposed to be some great geneticist," said Sheva. "What's her involvement in all this?"

"Tsk, tsk," clucked Ada. "You should know better. As head of her division, she's the direct liaison to the BSAA. She's also not known for being careless or a fool, so either she's suffered a brain aneurism and thought leaving incriminating evidence of a bioweapon outbreak out where anyone could come by and look was a good idea, or..."

"She doesn't care anymore," said Claire, finishing Ada's sentence much to the other woman's pleasure. "You're saying whatever they're planning is happening soon?"

Ada nodded. "My guess is all of your progress reports have been sent straight to Excella who then called Irving. She's also the one who got your withdrawal order put through, and was putting the damper on information coming out of Kijuju."

"How the hell do you know all of this?" Stone shouted.

Ada smiled at him and batted her eyes. "Tell him, ladies."

"She's a spy, it's her job," Sheva and Claire said in unison.

"By the way, Claire, not that it changes much, but word on the street is your brother has definitely invited himself to this party, so the quicker you find Irving the quicker you'll know where it is."

"Then what are we all standing around for?" asked Stone. "Let's get Irving."

"You two scout ahead," said Sheva. "Ada, your gun looks a little muddy. How about letting me clean it with my kit?"

While no one thought that was why Sheva wanted a minute alone with Ada, no one questioned it and Claire and Stone entered the oil facility as quietly as they could through the front door. That it was not locked or barred did not go unnoticed.

Ada made no move to hand over her rifle but all the same she looked it over to make sure it was in proper working order. "Josh is like a brother to me," Sheva said. "Still, I'd hate to see him get hurt somehow."

"I wasn't hurting him, just jerking him off," Ada said casually. "He looked like he needed it."

"I'm sure he did," said Sheva. "I thought you were more into women, though."

"I don't like to limit myself," said Ada. "I used to think women were less complicated than men but I'm starting to think not."

"Tell me about it," said Sheva.

"Is that all you were going to say?" Ada asked, sensing it wasn't.

Sheva hesitated and looked at the facility but when she looked back to Ada there was nothing hesitant or soft in her eyes or face.

"Claire and I had a talk earlier and we decided we'd like to spend time together after this is over," Sheva said.

Upon hearing the words something deep inside Ada that was like a circuit breaker was tripped and the rooms inside her went dark and silent. Her face went flat and her eyes took on disinterested sheen as she slung her rifle over her shoulder. "Are you trying to tell me you two are dating?" Ada asked.

"Yes," said Sheva. "It seemed like you wanted me to see that bit with you and Josh and I just thought you might want to know you don't have to bother with games like that anymore."

Ada walked over to Sheva and stood within a few inches of her. She could feel the other woman's breath on her skin and slowly she slid her hand up over Sheva's shoulder and around the back of her neck. She sensed the other woman's body tense and knew if she had been planning an attack it would be met quite readily. She pressed her fingers gently into the back of Sheva's neck, caressing her until she felt her involuntarily relax a bit. "Sheva...that's an interesting name. Sounds a bit like Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction."

"I can cause a fair bit of damage, but I don't think the name is Hindi," said Sheva. "Is Ada your real name?"

"Of course not. It's really Ada. I spell it backwards to throw people off."

"Funny," said Sheva. "Claire said you wouldn't take this well."

"I'm not taking it well? There's nothing to take. Claire and I have irreconcilable differences and maybe this is for the best. Don't hurt her, and don't get her killed."

She pressed her lips against Sheva's and felt the woman yield. Her tongue explored Sheva's mouth and when she felt herself being kissed back she pulled away. She felt herself becoming wetter than she had been in a long time and the urge to throw Sheva against something and give her fucking of a lifetime was strong, but she knew Irving was close and work could not be put off much longer.

"You're still not okay with this," said Sheva. "I can see it in your face."

Ada felt shaky despite being cold and dark inside and she narrowed her eyes. "Don't worry about me, worry about Claire," said Ada. "If I thought doing something awful to you would win her over I'd do it, but she's not some truck stop whore and we're a pair of bull elephants. I'm sure she'll be thrilled when she learns you told me about you and her, so I'll just hang back and see how things between you two pan out."

Sheva smiled with one side of her mouth and turned away, letting Ada's hand slip from her. Ada clenched the hand into a fist when Sheva's back was turned and followed her into the facility, her mind a maelstrom she knew she had to clear soon or risk everything falling apart.

Claire and Stone had not gone far and were having second thoughts about leaving the other two alone when Ada and Sheva saw them. Stone returned his focus to a control box set next to an elevator in the center of a room made up of thin wooden walls and mesh fencing. They were in a larger room cut into segments by temporary walls, machinery, and piles of building material.

"The elevator isn't working and it looks like we need it to get to the other end of the building," said Claire.

"I can fix it, but it'll be a few minutes," said Stone.

Ada looked up to see where the elevator would take them. There was a catwalk circling around the large, innermost room leading to a door on the far end marked as an exit by an unlit sign. Ada fired her grapple gun and was hoisted to the top of the catwalk before anyone could react.

"Hey! Where are you going!" Claire shouted up at her.

"None of your damned business," Ada said. "You can have what's left of Irving when I'm done with him. Maybe he'll be in some condition to tell you where your brother is and maybe he won't."

Claire was shocked into silence long enough for Ada to reach the door and only when she was halfway through it did she hear her former lover's exclamations. Ada answered them by slamming the door shut with a backward kick and hoped no majini were in her immediate future as her vision had become blurred. When she wiped her eyes dry and got her body's tremors under control, her mouth twisted into a sneer and she almost felt bad for the first enemy who would cross her.

XXX

"What the hell was that all about?" Claire asked after Ada had been gone a few minutes. Stone was still having trouble with the elevator and Sheva wore an expression like a child waiting for her mother to find a broken dish hidden in the kitchen trash.

When Sheva continued to hold her silence, Claire crossed her arms. "What did you say to her?"

Sheva's eyebrow went up and her lips pursed together. When Claire did not move or speak, Sheva's shoulder slumped. "I told her about us."

Claire took a deep breath through her nose, her head moving upward and back as she inhaled. She let the breath out in a quiet _woosh._ "Okay," she said. "I was hoping to tell her, but that's fine. She had to find out one way or another."

Stone paused for a moment to look between Sheva and Claire, then went back to his work. "I almost got it," he said.

He may as well have been alone for all the attention that was paid to him. "I'm sorry, but she was messing with me. With us. The line had to be drawn."

"And you think I wasn't going to draw it?" Claire asked, prompting more worried expressions from Stone.

"I felt like I was being attacked so I defended myself," said Sheva. "Yes, I should have let you tell her. My bad."

"Your bad," said Claire, trying to calm herself by looking at the bright side. This meant she did not have to tell Ada herself, and while she felt like a coward she was glad about that. Still, she had never seen Ada so upset and truth be told Claire did not know what Ada would do.

"Do you think she'll kill Irving?" asked Sheva.

Claire shook her head. "I don't know. I don't think so, but..."

"This is what you get for messing around on missions," said Stone, using a multi-tool to adjust a screw in the control box. "That woman is dangerous and crazy."

"She helped save out butts at least twice," said Sheva, surprising Claire. "And are you trying to pretend I didn't see you getting a handjob from her?"

"My point exactly," said Stone. "It's nothing but trouble, as if we didn't have enough."

Sheva shook her head, looking at Claire and gesturing to Stone with her thumb. "How do you like this guy?"

Claire found it was hard to stay mad at Sheva. "I think he got off pretty easy compared to the rest of us," said Claire, smiling.

"Men always get off easy. That's the problem with them," said Sheva, smirking as she watched Stone sweat profusely from the back of his neck.

"You two ever, ah..." Claire said, thinking the question would be suitable revenge for Sheva's transgression.

Sheva squirmed but did not seem to take offense. "Me and Josh? Oh, no, we're..."

She was interrupted by shouts signifying a large group of majini were converging from areas in the building Claire could not immediately see. "Oh, thank God," Stone said. "Stop talking and hold them off, I've almost got this."

In the close quarters, Claire relied on her pistol and the special bullets the pervert had supplied her with cut the majini to pieces. Sheva was using her new shotgun, letting groups of majini come together before her before blowing them down. When the doorway was clear Claire looked through and tried to estimate how many majini were swarming them but with the boxes and machines everywhere it was like counting birds roosting in a bush.

When she saw a large, red fuel tank standing out in proud defiance of common workplace safety standards she switched her pistol for her rifle and fired at it. Three streams of gasoline poured into the floor at the far of the big room where dozens of majini were moving. She kept firing, knowing it was BSAA protocol for those issued assault rifles to load the last few rounds in their magazines with tracer bullets. When they saw the tracers they would know they were nearly out of ammunition. Claire had been refreshing the magazine from a pouch of rounds and giving no thought to the tracers, so before she was half empty a bright orange line streaked over the heads of the majini and ignited the fumes from the tank.

They could feel the explosion through the thin wall and it was powerful enough to crack the cement under their feet. A bright orange glow enveloped them and thick, acrid smoke replaced the air above their heads. Claire looked at Sheva and Stone who were looking between her and the fire with their mouths slightly agape. "Well, there was a lot of them!" Claire said, seeing the accusations in their eyes.

"Better hope this works," Stone said, snapping out of his haze and waiving the women into the elevator as he tapped the control box. The elevator rose and they crossed the same catwalk Ada had used only now it was choked with smoke. They shot through the few majini who opposed them and once they were through a door they all saw a sign for an exit up ahead. "There should be a dockyard on the other side of the facility!" Stone shouted.

The dockyard was small, built for small cargo boats but the ship docked there now was not small and in fact seemed too big for the river it was on. It was along, sleek vessel designed to move freight but at the aft were two turret guns. -That must be Irving's,- Claire thought, wondering if Irving might have slipped away in a smaller craft already, figuring they would waste time searching the larger ship.

As they were sprinting towards the boat they heard its engine start. They were on the ramp leading up to the aft deck when it began to pull away from the dock and head for the center of the river. Claire expected majini to swarm the deck and when they did not she began to wonder if they even knew they had been boarded.

They felt the boat rock when the oil facility exploded. Claire saw hundreds of majini had been after them and were now leaping into the river to escape the fire while most of them burned to death or were broken by the force of the blast.

"We should split up," said Stone. "I will go with one of you. we'll stay in touch through your communicators. Mine was broken."

Claire was about to suggest Sheva go with him when Irving came out from between the bridge and gunwale. He was swaying as though riding an alcohol buzz, his arms loose at his sides. His nose was bleeding freely and his eye was swollen. There was also blood leaching through his pant leg as it ran down from his crotch. "Great, more assholes," he said. "Whadda ya want?"

Three pistol barrels turned in Irving's direction. "Hands up!" said Sheva. "Turn around and get down on your knees."

His face brightened and he laughed while clapping his hands together. "Or what? You gonna shoot me? Your friend already beat ya to the punch."

"Ada...what did you tell her? What do you know about Chris Redfield?" asked Claire, studying Irving's clothes and body mannerisms to see if he had a weapon while wondering what Ada had done to him. -He's got something in his pocket,- she thought. -Not a gun, but what?-

"Chris Redfield? What's it to ya?"

"He's my brother. If you know something about where he is I suggest you talk."

"And I suggest you shut yer trap, bitch," said Irving. "Yeah, I squealed for your little whore friend and now my goose is goon n' cooked, so I ain't got nothin' ta loose anymore."

"Hands up, Irving. We can protect you if that's a problem," said Sheva.

Irving nearly collapsed from laughing, which caused him a great deal of pain. "You stupid saps...you ain't got a clue! Not a frickin' clue! Protect me? From what? You think any of this crap is gonna matter once Uroboros is released? Frickin' idiots!"

"What is Uroboros? Answer us!" Stone shouted, firing a bullet into the deck near Irving's feet. A quiet rage stole over Irving and he stood up straight while reaching into his pocket. What he pulled out was not a gun but a high-tech syringe holding purple fluid.

"Okay, big man, you wanna know what Uroboros is? Easier for me to show ya. Like I said, I'm dead anyway."

He injected the contents of the syringe into his neck and let the device fall to the deck where it broke. He staggered backward, leaning against the wall of the bridge as his body began seizing. Without warning six thick gray tentacles tipped with straight black pincers burst from his back, ripping his jacket and shirt apart as they plunged into the deck and shifted Irving's weight to lift him off his feet. Irving was laughing as bullets poured into him. Like springs the tentacles launched him over the gunwale and into the water.

"He's escaping!" shouted Sheva.

"I wish," said Claire. "Let's see if those guns work." She ran to the starboard turret and Sheva did likewise with the port-side gun. Claire was pleased to see the turrets were simple to operate, if cumbersome.

Something large broke the surface of the water in the boat's wake. Aside from thinking it was the size of a whale Claire had trouble drawing a parallel between it and any living creature. Two giant tentacles shot out of the water and gripped the sides of the boat which was slowed as the creature dragged itself forward. All Claire could make out of it was large bony plates that formed a giant set of jaws.

"I'm going to get control of the ship!" Stone shouted. "Be careful!"

Sheva fired her gun and sent white chips of bone into the air. Claire fired at one of the tentacles and it was torn to meaty shreds. She kept shooting in short bursts and using her entire body to move the large gun fixture. Sheva watched her and learned, and fired at the tentacle closest to her with better results. When the tentacles came off the ship, it lurched forward and made the women stagger for balance.

The thing submerged and went unseen until it rose along Claire's side of the ship. It drew closer and tentacles as thick as tree trunks rose from the water seeking to ensnare the ship. Claire was still trying to wrap her mind around the creature's proportions and in so doing she noticed a bulbous, fleshy spot on what must have been its head. Her turret would not rotate enough to hit the bulb, so she drew her magnum and braced it on the gunwale. She fired once and missed but her second shot found its mark and a gout of blood squirted into the air from the fleshy bulge. The thing responded by opening its mouth, which she saw accounted for much of its visible body and was the length of the boat they were on. The roar of pain it emitted was deep, like nearby thunder.

"That thing can bite the boat in half!" shouted Sheva.

Claire made sure the magnum had a full cylinder before returning to her turret, no longer feeling as good about this fight as she had at the start. When the tentacles came this time they each darted at the gun turrets. Sheva and Claire jumped sideways towards each other as the guns were knocked from their moorings and the pincers at the ends of the tentacles hooked onto the boat.

The thing drawing up again and so Claire ran towards the prow along with Sheva. Rather than bite the boat in half as Sheva feared it could, the massive jaws came up onto the deck where they opened sideways. Claire saw Irving's body had become the monster's tongue, and that his deformed figure now dangled like a maggot at the end of a long, tough appendage. Claire drew the magnum and fired, missing Irving but severing the fleshy cord that connected him to the creature.

He screamed as he flopped on the deck and the monster's tentacles went limp as it slid into the water.

Irving's head and half his upper torso were still human. The rest of him was a misshapen mass of pulsing flesh that exuded clear mucus. He was having difficulty breathing and was looking up at Claire with a mixture of despair and hate. "Tell me where Chris is and I'll end it quick," she said, pointing her magnum at him.

"I'd love ta tell ya, babe, but I don't know. I did hear he was creepin' around, so you'll probably see him. If ya live much longer."

"Tell us what Uroboros is," Sheva said, stepping next to Claire. "It's more than just a virus strain, isn't it?"

Irving took several quick breaths which did not keep his pale pink skin from shading towards blue. "Up ahead...ruins...explains everything...then you die."

Claire aimed the magnum at Irving's head, which was turning purple. "I'm somebody, damn it!" he shouted, foam dripping from his lips. "I made...things happen..."

His head was obliterated by Claire's gun and his body deflated as blood and other fluids came gushing out the hole where his skull used to be. "Jesus..." Sheva said, turning away.

Claire spit to get the taste of vomit from her mouth.

"Looked like you severed some kind of nerve cord. Hell, if we'd waited he might have bitten himself to death on accident," said Sheva.

Claire replaced the magnum rounds she had fired then tucked the weapon into its holster. "That's the thing about freaks like that, they're all built wrong. They've got nothing on Nature."

"I'll second that," said Sheva. "But killing him was a mercy I'm not sure I could've show him given what he's helped do."

Claire sighed. "The faster they're dead and gone, the better."

"I suppose...he mentioned ruins," said Sheva. "I bet he means the Sodibaya city."

"Sodibaya city? It thought..."

"Well...I say Sodibaya city, but not enough is known about the place to know exactly who built it. What is known is the Sodibaya sometimes occupy it during the dry seasons, but no one's ever really explored or documented the place. It's hard to get to and this region isn't exactly safe at the best of times. I can't imagine what Irving thinks we'd find there, unless he knew something we don't."

"I'm sure he did," said Claire. "Plus an ancient city no one ever goes sounds just like the kind of place bio-terrorists would love to set up shop. Let's go."

They found Stone at the ship's helm. Sheva filled him in on what had happened and for a moment all were silent, pondering their position. "I imagine you'll seek your brother in the Sodibayan ruins...and I suppose you'll be going with her to see if you can learn more about Uroboros?" he said finally.

Both women nodded. "Very well, then," continued Stone. "As much as I hate to leave you, I should go back and issue a report. Maybe get some reinforcements. Despite what your succubus friend thinks, there are some good people in the BSAA who won't obey bogus orders."

"It's settled," said Sheva. "The ruins are near the river about ten kilometers up."

"We should search the ship and secure it," said Claire. "Anyone else think it's weird Jill didn't make an appearance?"

"Jill?" Stone seemed surprised and Claire winced at their oversight.

"We ran into Jill Valentine back at the mines," said Claire. "I reported it to my superiors, and so did Sheva."

"And they gave the order to fall back still?" said Stone. "Aye, aye, aye, something is fishy, isn't it. Alright, you should search the ship for her just in case. I think I can get more support now, if Jill Valentine is alive."

Claire and Sheva left the bridge with Sheva walking ahead of Claire, her shotgun ready as the two began a thorough sweep of the ship. After the first few rooms and hallways, as they reached the lower deck, Claire started to doubt they would find any majini. Not wanting any surprises, the women continued the search until they stood in the middle of a small cargo hold lit by a flickering yellow bulb above their heads.

"Guess we're safe for the time being," said Claire, siting on a plastic crate. She unbuckled her utility belt and set it aside with the rest of her gear. Sheva did the same, an unspoken plan of action having passed between them upon finding the hold empty of enemies, or prying eyes.

"You'll jinx it with talk like that," said Sheva, standing with her hands on her hips.

Claire leaned back on the crate and crossed her legs at the ankles. "I'd knock on wood but everything down here is made of plastic and metal," she said.

Sheva reached into her pouch and pulled out the dildo from before. She was inspecting it, changing the vibration settings, as she spoke. "You're not still mad about what I said to Ada, are you?" She clicked the vibrator into high mode and its noise filled the air of the tiny space. Sheva made a circle with her fingers and began to slide the dildo in and out, her eyebrow raised questioningly.

Claire's fingertips fluttered and she wished she was better at these little games. "Maybe a little," she said. "I might forget it, I don't know."

"You don't seem like the forgetful type," said Sheva, constricting her fingers around the vibrator, changing the pitch of the low buzzing noise it made.

"I guess I could use some help, then," Claire said.

Sheva shut the dildo off and sat next to Claire on the crate with a look on her face that said she had had enough. Their lips met and Claire felt Sheva's infectious eagerness flood her own body and she responded by pulling the other woman closer to her and touching her skin where it was left exposed by her outfit.

Claire's vest was undone with the skill of a pickpocket and she was leaning against a shelf behind the crate, heedless of the hard edges and cold metal. Sheva had slipped her red cloak and after pressing her hands on Claire's bare stomach, she slid them up under the tight red top she wore and pulled it over Claire's head, throwing it aside quickly before returning her hands to the warm, pale flesh of Claire's breasts.

Sheva was straddling Claire, who held the other woman in place by her hips. She didn't have to hold as tight as she did, for Sheva's thighs were strong and kept her from tipping back while she massaged and squeezed Claire's chest. Claire let out a deep breath, allowing herself to be groped and grow wet over Sheva's raw expression of desire. Her hands, the color of coffee candies, marred from scrapes, dirt, and gunpowder, were eager yet they sent a gentle flow of pleasure through Claire's body, sending her own hands up Sheva's taught midsection to her softer breasts which were held in check by the leopard print bra.

"I know it's silly, but this outfit it kinda hot on you," said Claire.

"Kinda? You haven't been able to take your eyes off me since I got it."

Claire knew better than to argue and took Sheva by the hips again before leaning forward to nuzzle and kiss one of her breasts, which she had freed from the bra. She had take a dark nipple into her mouth when she was gentle pushed back. Sheva nimbly moved to a kneeling position in front of her, and nuzzled and kissed Claire's breasts before beginning to lick and suck them. She went at it the same way she had done with her hands, eager and full of need. Sheva let out satisfied moans and Claire could feel herself being tasted while a tongue flicked her nipple before teeth gently pressed down around them.

Claire's toes curled and she practically ached between her legs. She let Sheva know she was as warm as she was going to get by unbuttoning the top of her own pants and starting the process of sliding them down. Sheva had been waiting for the signal and nearly jumped backward, off Claire to help yank the woman's jeans down. Claire felt her shoes come away, then her pants were gone. Sheva went to licking the wet mound of flesh between Claire's legs, whose breath was like steam from a hot rock doused in water and she felt the ache between her legs subside, becoming a burning, building tension.

Sheva's tongue founds its way into Claire and over her sweet spots, making her writhe and moan a little louder than normal. She heard Sheva's hand scramble for something off to her side but before she could look the dildo was being held up before Claire's face. As in battle, Claire could sense Sheva's intentions when it came to this and she took the dildo quickly, sticking it in her mouth and coating it in her saliva. Looking down between her legs she saw Sheva was fully engaged so Claire wasted no effort on the nerveless object and when it was as lubed as she could make it, she let it go from her mouth with a wet _pop._

Sheva sat back on her haunches with the dildo now in hand. Maddeningly, she touched it to Claire's opening and turned it to the medium setting, teasing Claire's raw nerves. Claire breathed heavily, her toes and fingers curled now as she looked between the slick black dildo and Sheva's eager face. Her lips were puffy and had a shine to them, and she appeared highly interested in what she was about to do.

Slowly, the tip of the dildo spread Claire open, encountering resistance the deeper it went but the wet flesh and wet surface of the vibrator had little trouble going deeper. As Claire's flesh yielded, she felt as though she were melting. She was unable to resist a long sigh of pleasure which rose sharply as the dildo began to vibrate at its highest setting.

"Slow down..." Claire said, her voice tight and wispy. "Easy, I'm going to come." She knew she could not last, but desperately wanted a few more moments to wallow in the exquisite place she found herself.

Sheva's hand caressed Claire's inner thigh as the dildo slid in deeper, going slow then speedily making its retreat before repeating the process. Claire's body jerked thrice under this treatment before it felt as though a bomb had gone off inside her. She screamed, gripping the edge of the crate she sat on and began to shake as Sheva worked the dildo in and out of her, twisting it now as it hummed. Orgasms began hitting her in waves, making Claire lose control of the sounds she emitted. Finally she was able to grit her teeth and keep her moans down, but her muscles still quivered beneath her sweat-dampened skin.

The dildo was pulled slowly from her and she felt like a hundred pounds left with it. Satiated but energized, she sat up and watched Sheva lie back on her red cloak, sticking her legs straight into the air while she wiggled out of her skirt. Claire was before her, on her knees, and helped raise the skirt over Sheva's feet. She tossed them in the scattered pile of clothes and slowly ran her palm over Sheva's flat stomach, just above the area she intended to lick. She sensed an impatient tone to Sheva's breathing and so conducted her foreplay with her hands while lowering herself between Sheva's legs.

Sheva had been close to dripping wet and responded to Claire's tongue by curling in her legs and clutching the top of Claire's head with her hands. Claire kept Sheva in one place by gripping her buttocks and licked her until she began to writhe and groan. The dildo was located after a quick search and being fairly wet to begin with, Claire brought the tip before Sheva, adjusting the vibrator to its medium setting as had been done earlier.

With a desperate sigh, Sheva crunched her midsection, allowing her to take Claire's hands, and pulled the dildo abruptly inside her. She gasped when it entered and Claire readily figured out how Sheva wanted it.

Claire worked it like a small pump, making wet noises with each quick thrust. It was vibrating as much as it could now and Claire began to twist it some, pressing against different areas as she thrust to see the results. When she found the spot that made Sheva cry out, Claire kept stimulating it. Sheva had been watching her, but now her eyes were shut tight and her face held a look of pain, only Claire knew better.

Sheva's mouth had come open to emit a long, silent moan and suddenly her teeth came together and her hands scrambled to find something on the floor to grip. "Oh, God..." she stammered before being wracked with a loud orgasm. Claire continued to move the dildo as Sheva's back arched and the surges of pleasure bore themselves out.

Claire let her panting slow down before sliding her warm, damp body over Sheva's. Claire lay atop Sheva and slightly off on her left. She planted a kiss on Sheva's wet lips and had it returned. When their mouths came apart, Claire sunk her face easily into Sheva's shoulder, nuzzling her neck while her hand found other soft parts to touch and caress.

Sheva scratched the back of Claire's head, jostling her ponytail. They were still for a moment or two before Sheva spoke. "The floor is really hard. And cold."

"That's why I was using you as a pillow," said Claire.

"We should get back to Josh before he comes looking for us."

"Think he heard you?"

"Me? You were the one screaming your head off," Sheva said as she sat up, prompting Claire to roll away and begin the laborious journey to her feet. She found the dildo and shut it off, thinking it funny they hadn't noticed it being left on. Their argument over who had been the loudest only ended when they decided to search the ship for batteries.

**To be continued...**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine.**

Each footstep on the steel stairs sounded like a ringing gong to Excella Gionne's ears. Her chest felt tight and the beige dress she wore that left her shoulders and arms exposed did nothing to keep the goosebumps from rising on her pale, olive tinted skin.

Keeping her head high and without breaking stride she used a mirror application on her mobile phone to check her appearance. Her makeup was in place, giving her face a pale shine while keeping her eyes dark and her black hair was still bound in a tight, orderly nest. She kept her face narrow and focused, free of the dread she felt as she entered a small office where Albert Wesker sat.

He was on a low couch with his back to her. Next to him was an open briefcase that held half a dozen syringes. The doses of material inside them had been synthesized and measured by Excella herself, and seeing them made her tight chest relax. -He won't kill me. He needs me for this, and he would never trust _her_ in my stead,- Excella thought.

Wesker said nothing and she saw he had just finished injecting himself using one of the syringes. "You wanted to see me, Albert," she said, sitting next to him on the couch. "I trust the doses are still satisfying?"

"I didn't call you here to talk about that," he said, his voice almost toneless, and underlain with menace. "You told me Jill Valentine would be your perfect puppet and yet things have not gone perfectly with her, have they?"

Excella bristled but she did not lay into Wesker like she would have with anyone else. Jill Valentine's current state of being had been Wesker's idea in the first place, how dare he blame her for problems? She pulled in her lips and licked them, looking away from him as she prepared to speak. It would not do to show too much bravado, she thought. "No, they haven't. I'm not sure why, but even so, the drug has been working splendidly compared to previous experiments. She will still do anything we tell her."

"She allowed Irving to be killed and she didn't kill those two BSAA operatives when she had the chance." said Wesker. "Who they were to her shouldn't have mattered."

"Perhaps she and the Redfield woman know each other better than we thought," said Excella. "Still, had I been there she would have finished them."

"And yet you weren't there," said Wesker, cocking his head to the side. She could see his eyes through his dark sunglasses, red with yellow slits. It was becoming harder for her to breathe.

"You know why I wasn't," Excella said. "Valentine will be under my thumb from here on out; this won't happen again. I'll up her dose, I'll..."

"You're babbling," Wesker said. "Of course you will do these things. Still, I think some disciplinary action is in order. Perhaps it will sharpen your foresight."

He stood up and Excella shrank back. "Albert, please..."

Wesker cracked his knuckles and shut the briefcase. "Go see Alexia. I've already spoken to her and she has agreed to act within certain parameters."

"N-no, Albert, please..." Excella knew there was no mercy behind those sunglasses and so restricted her pleading to the basics, enough to say to herself she tried.

"Go now. If I have to take you to her myself it will be worse."

She was unsteady in getting up, but once on her feet she was firm. She suspected she had been destined for a date with Alexia, and the Irving incident had just offered a pretext to make the arrangement. -Maybe it won't be so bad,- she thought. -Maybe I can use this opportunity to ingratiate myself with Alexia...-

The thought was madness, little more than something to keep her terror from overwhelming her and driving her to commit some rash act. Wesker was human enough to have a good side to be on, while Alexia was so far gone the thought of anyone sucking up to her was ridiculous.

Excella said nothing to Wesker as she went back the way she had come but rather than returning to her quarters she went down another flight of stairs and through a maze of corridors, living areas, and storage rooms. Alexia's rooms were in a cold, dimly lit area and Excella felt herself begin to shiver. She touched the buzzer on a rectangular door that stood in her path, and it slid open immediately, allowing her into a tiny room with another door that would not open until the one behind it was closed. When the second door opened, Excella hesitated before entering then plunged in as though taking a dive into a cold, black sea.

The room was ornately furnished in red. The patterns on the carpet and floor depicted insects, ants chiefly, crawling on vines. Even the furniture was red. Red velvet cushions on the loveseats and chairs, polished redwood coffee table, even the windows looking into other rooms had a reddish tinge to them. Alexia herself sat on one of the loveseats, next to a couch. She was reading a thick, dusty book with faded Latin writing on the spine. She was nude save for white gloves that came near to her elbows and white stockings which rose to mid-thigh. She closed the book and leaned forward to set it down on the table.

Excella felt a twinge between her legs. Alexia was flawless, physically. Not a blemish could be seen on her white peach skin and her blond hair was smooth and silken. It cascaded down bellow her buttocks when she stood and reflected light as though it were synthetic. Her small face gave her an elf-like quality and made her wet blue eyes seem large. She did not show her teeth when she smiled at Excella, who already knew they were as perfect as the rest of her.

Excella had seen Alexia's beauty often enough so its affect wore off quickly. Her eyes were like a warm glittering seas to most observers but to Excella they were deep, cold things under which swam a massive, hideous intelligence. Excella thought in her quiet hours that comparing those eyes to the sea was unfair. The ocean contained secrets, yes, and its wrath was terrible when provoked but there was no malice in it. The sea was the sea, nature was nature. Alexia was evil.

"Come. Stand there," said Alexia, pointing with a gloved finger to a spot in front of her.

Excella did what she was told, keeping her head down and her shoulders slumped. She made no effort to conceal her fear, knowing that was what Alexia liked to see and if she did not see it, she would do something to make Excella put it on display for her. Alexia's big eyes twitched up and down, stripping Excella's humanity from her. "Remove those rags," said Alexia.

Excella took a deep breath and undid the cloth at the back of her neck, letting the beige, silk dress topple off her chest. She wore no bra and her breasts hung like baubles, white mounds tipped with pink. The dress came down over her wide hips and she stepped out of it, then removed the white thong she wore. "Everything, take it all off," said Alexia, and Excella removed her shoes, earrings, and gold bracelet. "Let your hair down, too."

It came down like water and out of habit she shook her head, tussling it so it hung behind her with some volume. Now Alexia stood up, revealing how long her legs were and how tall she was, nearly half a head over Excella. She stood close, letting her physical presence intimidate while she studied Excella's face as though it were some new, interesting bug she had found. "Beautiful," said Alexia. "I think we'll keep you around if it can be managed. Do you have a twin sister?"

"No," said Excella.

Alexia clucked her tongue. "I shall have to see about cloning you. There are some things I would like done to you that would mar your beauty. That's what I detest about only having one sample. Surely you can agree?"

"Yes," said Excella, shaking a little and remembering a number of occasions where she she had to be deliberate and use forethought lest she lose an important living test subject.

Alexia walked around behind her, running a gloved hand over Excella's bare shoulders, making her shiver more. She felt fingertips trail gently down her sides and stop at her hips. "You have nice, wide hips," said Alexia. "You could be used in a number of breeding experiments I have in mind as well...But this is all in the future and you're here to atone for the past," said Alexia. "What was it you did again?"

"It's not my fault," said Excella. "The mind control drug hasn't been tested, the variables..."

"Oh yes, that's right, the slave you were supposed to maintain allowed that vile little man to be slain before his time had ended. Perhaps when we're done here you'll have had a few lessons in gaining obedience."

Alexia's hands encircled Excella's stomach and slid up, cupping each breast and feeling her nipples until they were stiff. Alexia clamped them between her thumb and forefingers and slowly increased the pressure. Excella hissed in pain and wiggled where she stood, feeling the iron strength in Alexia's cool arms. She let out a cry, then doubled over when Alexia pinched harder. Excella knew fighting was useless but was about to struggle anyway when Alexia let her go. She gripped her by the hips again and let Excella cradle her sore breasts.

Excella felt powerful hands kneading her buttocks now, and was violently spun around to face Alexia, whose large, deep eyes now danced with merriment. "This game would be more fun if I had not agreed to keep you whole," said Alexia. "But I can make do. Listen carefully. Go into that other room, then the chamber beyond. In the top drawer of the dresser is a box. Inside the box are a number of of instruments. Select one and bring it back, but don't pick the wrong one or it will be worse for you."

"Which is the right one?" Excella asked.

"That's part of the game," Alexia said. "When a servant makes a mistake it's their responsibility to go to the woods and cut a switch for their master who then uses it to whip them. Clever servants select a proper sized stick, but some of the slower ones try to mitigate their punishment by choosing a small shaft. The master then gets a larger switch and the dim servant gets the beating of a lifetime. Don't choose incorrectly."

Feeling ill and inexplicably excited, Excella left the room and went to the chamber Alexia described. It was her bedroom. As ornately furnished as the other room, it was lit less and the reds were deeper, closer to blood. She found the dresser Alexia mentioned and stopped to look at herself in the mirror. With her hair down and her breasts bare, she had a sensual look about her. Excella briefly thought a clone of herself wouldn't be such a bad idea, but knew whatever Alexia had in mind would be something abhorrent.

The wooden box was inside the dresser drawer and shut with a silver clasp. She opened it and saw in the dim light the instruments Alexia wanted were five dildos. The one on the far right was small and white, made of ivory. The first three were of the same material, with the one in the middle carved to resemble a cock, complete with a circumcised and pierced head. The last two were black, with the second to last being only slightly thicker than what she could get her fingers around. It was made of some hard substance, possibly stone, and was twisted in the middle with a bulbous tip her fingers could not fit around. The last one she would need two hands to encompass completely and it was dotted with small nubs that grew larger the farther they were towards the base.

She debated the middle one, but not wanting any part of the largest dildo, she selected the second largest, shuddering at its weight in her hands. She closed the box and shut the drawer, turning to see Alexia was behind her.

"A wise decision," Alexia said. "Give it to me, and get on the bed."

Alexia obeyed and was further directed to her hands and knees, with her head towards the bed's foot. She felt her breasts poked and tapped with the dildo, making them swing like pendulums before Alexia squeezed another nipple until she cried out. "Would you like it lubricated?" she asked. "You've been useful to us, I think that should count for something."

"Y-yes," said Excella.

The tip of the dildo was brought to her lips and she opened her mouth before it could hit her in the teeth. Alexia pushed it to the back of Excella's mouth and held it, turning it while Excella tried to work up as much saliva as she could in her dry mouth. When she felt it begin to leave, she clamped her lips down and let out a low moan in her throat.

"Wesker said you were a slut," said Alexia, followed by a tittering laugh. "That's enough." She pulled the now sleek dildo from Excella's mouth and held it for a moment so she could get one final look at it. It seemed larger somehow, and she hoped the absurd arousal she felt would make things go smooth for her.

Alexia teased apart her lower lips and pushed the dildo into her with a twisting motion. It was a tight fit and Excella contacted around it, gripping it reflexively as Alexia pushed in and pulled out, all while fondling Excella's hanging breasts with her free hand.

-This isn't so bad,- she thought. -Humiliating, but not the horror I had expected.-

An hour later, Excella's head was resting on her hands and her naked form was glistening with sweat. Alexia still stood to the side of her, and the dildo had yet to leave her body completely. Alexia was an expert with it, able to sense when Excella was on the verge of an orgasm and able to keep her from achieving it. At first it had been nice, as Excella like to be warmed up slowly and kept at her peak for a time before releasing, but this was different. She had been built to the cusp of a climax more times than she could count. Alexia was able to bring her there as fast or as slow as she wanted, and she preferred fast. She had ways of taking Excella's mind off coming, namely by abusing her now tender breasts but she had found other tricks.

Excella's back, for one, was covered in red candle wax. Alexia had retrieved the candle some time before after instructing Excella to hold the dildo inside her and not movie it so much as an inch. Excella didn't dare disobey and Alexia had come back with the lit candle, dripping the biting wax on the tender parts of Excella's back whenever she sensed the need.

She was close to orgasm again now, and her entire back hummed with the pain from the wax. She shrieked when she felt it dribbled between her buttocks and whimpered as it dripped down into more tender areas while Alexia laughed.

"I do love wax," said Alexia. "Lingering pain without the irritating smell of burnt flesh. Ah, but nothing releases so much agony as truly seared flesh. Perhaps you'll make a mistake big enough so that Wesker will agree to me branding you. I have some fine torture brands you should see."

Excella thought the best response would be some well-timed tears and she began to sob softly into her hands. -If she thinks she's broken me, perhaps she won't wish to play anymore,- Excella thought, inwardly laughing at the fact that perhaps Alexia had actually broken her, somewhat.

The edge of her buttock was pinched, hard, and she yelped. "None of that, not yet," said Alexia. "Although you're right, this is getting a little dull. Off the bed. On your knees. And clean that wax off yourself."

Alexia pulled the dildo out and Excella crawled off the bed. When she stood the wax crumbled and fell to the floor, and she brushed herself clean of it as best she could. When she caught sight of Alexia, she knew she had made a terrible mistake.

The mocking smile that always seemed to hang on the lower portion of her face had gone away and now matched the deep, dead look of her glittering blue eyes. "Clean it. Now," said Alexia, looking at the wax chips on the floor.

Excella looked around for a dustpan or broom, and was about to speak when Alexia smiled. "Get on the ground and use your mouth. I want it all gone."

Her face flushed red, Excella got down on her hands and knees and started to scoop the wax into a pile. She stopped when a sharp tap from a stockinged foot caught her in the head. "I said mouth. Those are your hands. I can give you an injection that might make it impossible to tell the difference, if you like. Wesker won't be able to say anything about it."

"No, I'm sorry," said Excella, sticking out her tongue and scooping some of the wakes flakes. Under Alexia's tittering laughter, Excella felt her entire body burn with humiliation. Her first swallow of wax made her choke, and Alexia laughed harder, dripping more onto her back. Excella kept licking and eating, thinking the carper was remarkably clean. -Guess nothing is ever _all_ bad,- she thought.

"There's a good animal, get it all now," Alexia said. "If you don't like cleaning the floor, you should take your other duties more seriously. I know of some worse messes you could clean with your tongue if what Wesker and I assign you proves too difficult."

"I'm sorry," Excella said, thinking she would literally melt or catch fire, her blood was burning so close to her skin. "I won't fail again, I promise."

"Words are trash," said Alexia, sitting on the bed. "Stick that tongue of yours out, let me see it. Good, very clean. Now pleasure me. If you do well I won't need to punish you further."

Excella was kneeling between Alexia's long, white legs. She had them spread and her hairless pussy seemed to glisten in the candlelight. Excella had a feeling it would come to this, and had not been sure how easy it would be. Seeing the soft flesh that turned deeper shades of pink towards the center made her own womanhood ache, despite the attention it had recently received. Excella used the desire to fuel her efforts and plunged into Alexia with true enthusiasm. The monster's satisfied hum gave her courage and she probed deeply with her tongue, feeling around and keeping her hands on Alexia's hips, paying attention to how she responded to different motions.

She found the spot Alexia seemed to like, and experimented with different tongue strokes. Long, deep laps, precision prodding, and twisting maneuvers were all tried but what Alexia seemed to enjoy was a concentrated writhing, like Excella's tongue was being electrocuted or twisting in pain. Once she hit the right spot with the right movement, Excella obeyed the one rule she knew about such activity, and that was once you did something right, keep doing it. Luckily Alexia now seemed focused on her own pleasure rather than Excella's suffering, and only held her roughly by the hair with her free hand while her body bucked and heaved.

When Alexia came, she let out a series of piercing shrieks as her breath was sucked in again and again. Her hand jerked away from Excella's head, taking with it a tuft of her long black hair. Excella yelped and leaned back, holding the side of her head while Alexia breathed deeply.

Alexia's lips were making a bent O shape, but her smile soon returned, then became a grin. She splashed a load of hot wax on Excella's chest, who shrieked and moaned as it dribbled and dried between her breasts. Alexia laughed again. "Isn't that what men normally do when they're done with you? Or maybe you like it in your mouth? Open your mouth."

"Please, no more, I'm sorry," Excella said, knowing there was perhaps less mercy behind Alexia's glittering blue eyes than Albert's red, slitted ones.

"I won't ask again. That's it, now tilt your head up. The longer you wait the more wax will build up...there," Alexia spilled a few small drops of melted wax into Excella's open, upturned mouth. She kept the back of her throat closed and shook as the hot drops landed on her tongue, lips, and chin. When it was over, she bent down, keeping her eyes on the floor and praying to a God she did not believe in.

"Get out," said Alexia, sounding bored. "I've had all the fun I care to have with you, at least without breaking my agreement with Wesker. And let me know if you have to pleasure yourself after you leave, I'm curious about you."

Excella got up and exerted all of her willpower to keep from running naked out of Alexia's chambers. She got back into her dress without putting on her underwear and carried her shoes and other things out the door, moving at a brisk walk. She was let out both doors quickly, and despite the cold floor didn't put her shoes back on. Rather she ran as fast as her dress would allow back to her own quarters where she locked the door behind her.

Jill Valentine was sitting on the room's white couch, her back straight, her hands folded in her lap. She wore a clean battle suit, one that hugged her tight, nimble form and gave Excella something nice to think about when she had spare time. Jill looked at her with something like concern in her flat, gray eyes.

"You..." said Excella, her voice shaking with rage. She dropped what she was carrying and stormed over to Jill, who sat quietly. Excella took her by the chin and tilted her head up. "I'm going to take a shower, and when I come out I'm going to make you very, very, sorry."

Jill nodded in Excella's hand, no expression on her face except perhaps a hint of worry in the wide gray pools of her eyes.

XXX

A black sheet had been spread over the couch. Jill's nude form was splayed over it, her hands gripping its back while her knees were on the carpeted floor and her upper thighs flush with the couch itself. The bottom of a thick dildo could be seen bellow her buttocks, the rest of it hidden inside her. It shook softly, the batteries having run down since its insertion. Red stripes crisscrossed her back and buttocks, and a few showed dark lines of blood.

Excella stood behind her, holding a long black whip. Her dress was soaked in sweat and plastered to her skin. She had undone the top and let her breasts hang free, while her hair she had tied back in a loose ponytail where it had mostly dried. -One more. Don't want to wound her too badly,- Excella thought, flicking her wrist and aiming the tip of the whip to a patch of white flesh under Jill's arm. The woman shrieked and Excella saw with satisfaction the blow had drawn a small amount of blood.

She walked to the other end of the couch, feeling in control again. No longer did she shake at the thought of Alexia. -I could replicate her experiment with the Veronica virus,- Excella thought. -And I wouldn't need to be in a coma for fifteen years, either.-

Jill's head had sunk low and Excella pulled it up with a coil of the whip. There were tears in her gray eyes, but her face remained blank. Still, Excella could tell she was in agony and burned with the same humiliation Excella had from before. "Do you see what happens?" Excella said, slowly. "Do you see? Tell me what you've learned."

"That you and me are in the same boat," Jill said, her lips curling back.

Her face was slapped, once, twice, and a third time before Excella stopped herself, knowing if she continued she was apt to clobber Jill to death. "Fool!" she nearly screamed. "I'll spell it out for you, your failures reflect on me and when that happens I intend to bring them down on you twice over. Understand? Do you think you accomplished anything by letting Irving die? You didn't. Our plans will still go forward, your friends will still die. If you care about them so much as to resist the conditioning then maybe you should convince them to join us or get out of the way. Now tell me again, what did you learn?"

"Failure hurts," said Jill.

"Yes, it does. Most of all for you. Now get up and take that thing out of you."

Jill stood, shaking, and pulled the dildo from between her legs while Excella sat down on the couch. She sprawled her arms across the back of it and bid Jill to kneel in front of her. She pondered the woman for a moment, seeing her again as a living doll, not a human subject to her vengeance. "Lick it," Excella said.

Jill licked the dildo once, like a lollipop.

"Lick it like it was a cock, and the come inside it would free you from your servitude."

Jill took it with both hands and ran her tongue up and down every side of it. Excella watched her wet, pink tongue add its own moisture to what was already coating the dildo and felt herself become slick between the legs. The ache had been there since she had left Alexia, acting as a source of humiliation, a reminder of what had happened. She couldn't forget it, but she could remind herself that she was Excella Gionne, and she was powerful, too.

"Enough," said Excella, watching Jill's head bob and twist over the head of the dildo. "I pity any man who has let you chew on his cock like that. Set it down. Now, lick my pussy and do it properly. Mess this up and we'll see how long you can go without food."

She felt Jill's tongue inside her and let her head dip back and her body relax. She let Jill know when she was on the right track with deep, satisfied out breaths and the woman caught on quick. Soon she felt herself being ramped up to that familiar place, teetering on the edge where she liked to be for a time before sliding off the other side. Not this time, however. She'd been teased too long, she had earned this with her suffering and she let Jill's tongue push her to the limit and over in one fluid motion. When Excella came, she grabbed Jill by the side of the head and forced her closer, pressing her face into Excella's womanhood and grinding against her while she dutifully tried to use her tongue still.

When it was over, Excella forced Jill back with a kick. "Get the hell out my sight," Excella said. "Go take a shower and if you screw one more thing up tonight you'll eat from a dog bowl from now on, understood?"

"Yes," said Jill, getting up and heading towards the shower.

"Make sure it's a hot shower," Excella said, knowing how even minor wounds felt under the water jets.

Feeling better, she let herself relax and let her mind wander with subtle guidance towards putting an end to the BSAA agent, Sheva Alomar, and the DSO agent, Claire Redfield. She had access to files on Alomar, but Redfield she only knew from footnotes in Chris Redfield's dossier. Her brow crinkled at the thought of the older Redfield. He was another problem, but thankfully not hers. Wesker had made it clear he was to be located and watched, nothing more, and for some bizarre reason Wesker seemed reluctant to speak of him further.

Given the man's reported style of approach, half of western Africa should be in flames by now and why there had only been hints of Chris' presence perplexed her. -He doesn't have the backing of the BSAA, so perhaps he's been cautions,- she thought. -His profile says he's brave to the point of reckless, but far from stupid.-

There had been reports of a third person alongside Claire and Sheva, and descriptions ranged from a black man to a woman painted black, to a woman in a red dress. Either something strange was going on or the mid-term affects of Las Plagas on the human mind were exhibiting some interesting variables.

The water from the shower stopped and after a few minutes a reasonable dry and clean Jill Valentine stood like a statue at Excella's side. A snap of fingers directed Jill to get on all fours in front of Excella, who rested her feet on Jill's whip-striped back. "There's a rumor your former partner is in the area, looking for you," said Excella. "What do you think of that?"

"I'm glad," said Jill.

Excella smiled. She had been expecting such a response and anything else would have been a sign Jill was resisting the mind control drug. "Don't be. By the time I've tweaked your dosage you'll kill him without a second thought. Tell me, how might he approach a rescue operation? He's gone rogue from the BSAA, you know. Your own people didn't give enough of a shit about you to send anyone officially. Answer me!" Her heel thumped Jill's back, between her shoulder blades.

"I...don't know," said Jill. "It's impossible. He should leave."

Excella's toes curled. Jill's voice was flat, nearly emotionless but Excella could still feel how deep her despair was. Hopelessness would breed obedience. "You're right, but I doubt he will. Tell me what you know of his sister, Claire."

"Nothing. We had never met before yesterday."

"I've going to try and have some fun with her. Her partner, too. Now that your conditioning is back where it should be, perhaps you an I can see to them personally. How does that sound?"

"Terrible."

"Pray I don't have to share them with Alexia. I hear that _thing_ has a bone to pick with the Redfield woman for what happened on Rockfort Island. Oh well. Wake me in an hour and get some rest yourself. Don't forget to hydrate," said Excella, mindful that the subject's self-destructive impulses could be quite subtle.

"Yes, Ms. Gionne."

Excella jabbed the side of Jill's head with her toes. "Don't say my name if you can't pronounce it properly. It figures an idiot American would end up being the only person to successfully become a P-30 product. You're lucky you're attractive."

Excella got up and slipped out of her dress, tossing it on Jill's back before making her way to her quarters where she started plotting the two BSAA agents' doom. They still had a ways to go before they reached the ruined city and while it was tempting to think the infested Ndipaya would stop them, given what they already overcome she thought it doubtful. -It is true what they say, when you want something done right, you have to do it yourself,- Excella thought, lying down on her bed to clear her mind. -If they manage to find their way into the facility, then that's as far as they will go.-

**To be continued...**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten.**

The ruins had been easily accessed from the river but Claire and Sheva had to take a smaller boat attached to the late Irving's larger craft to reach the hidden inlet where the ruins were accessed from. Wooden barrels, coils of rope, and animal skull displays had been set around the area where they tied the smaller boat. Beyond the damp cave was a tunnel that led into a hidden canyon where the ruined city had been built long, long ago.

The place surprised Claire with its size. She had been expecting something much smaller and less elaborate but what they had found was right out of the pages of a 1920s pulp fiction novel. The tribe that called the place home now had not been content to leave it at crumbling stone buildings but had built their own wooden additions to replace what had fallen in or add to it to meet some transportation or fortification need. It was almost a maze, but being built in a bowl-like canyon there was a definite downward trend being taken by the streets and walkways which they followed, meeting enthusiastic resistance.

A flaming arrow shattered upon striking the stone above her and Claire rose from behind a crumbling wall to take quick aim at the majini who had fired it. A half dozen of his bow-toting fellows were scrambling for better firing positions atop the ruined walkway that spanned a section of ruined city but he made the mistake of nocking another arrow. Claire's assault rifle rounds found his upper chest and neck and he was killed, dropping the arrow in a pool of oil at his feet and igniting the area around him, thus making the others bolt from cover and into Sheva's deadly line of fire.

"I hope this ends up being worth it," Sheva said as an arrow came close to piercing her face. She swapped her magazine for a fresh one while Claire downed the majini who had shot at her. Given a brief reprieve, Sheva began refreshing the spent magazine.

"They wouldn't be here if they weren't guarding something," said Claire, wondering if Irving had been the sort of man to make his last words lies.

The infected men they faced now were more dangerous than the majini in the town. Those men had not been warriors and their weapons had all been improvised. The majini of the ruins carried spears and clubs designed for the type of fighting they were doing and Claire could tell these men had known how to use their weapons before being infected with the parasite.

Even so, teamwork and firearms counted for much and Claire was glad she and Sheva blended well together in a fight.

The majini ran in small groups. Before they could open fire arrows or throw their spears, Claire would shoot them with her assault rifle while moving towards them. Sheva would not be far behind and would finish the job with her shotgun, or pistol if the majini were scattered.

Only a few times did an ambush put the women at a disadvantage and it was here their teamwork truly shined. The were like air currents, one hot and the other cold, spinning when they came together and destroying all that came near them with gunfire or vicious hand-to-hand techniques.

They cut a swath through the city, leaving clusters of dead majini behind them. Some of the corpses were of grotesque creatures, the remnants of the things that came bursting from their dying hosts to attack. They were frugal with their ammunition, only taking shots they knew they could make, yet they still ran low on bullets. Sheva picked up one of the majini spears and when the number of foes was not too great and she used it to dispatch majini that Claire slowed with her bullets.

Sweaty, tired, and with her ears ringing from the gun blasts that bounced around the stone walls Claire looked upon a black stone door at the top of a long flight of stairs that began at the end of a rectangular plaza. They had come to the bottom of the city and it appeared as though the door led into the stone wall of the canyon. "Bet that's where we should go," Sheva said, walking up behind her.

"It looks open," said Claire, seeing one of the rectangular stone slabs was angled outward.

"Let's check it out. We've got nowhere else to go and those majini will probably converge on us if we stop."

They could hear tittering war whoops from all directions and as the wisdom of coming here was starting to be questioned they heard a familiar screeching noise.

It came from above, near the top of the canyon. They looked to see it scrambling down the canyon wall sending rocks and dirt cascading before it. It was the bat-creature from the mine, or one like it.

"Another one!?" Sheva shouted.

Claire was not sure if it was the same monster from before or not, and did not care. She drew her magnum and took aim at the thing's head. Her bullet went high and hit the monster's back, chipping away at its exoskeleton. It left the rock wall in a flurry of wings and dust and hovered above Sheva and Claire for a moment before dropping.

Claire ran, not knowing where Sheva was to make shooting safe and thinking her bullets would not stop the monster before it crushed her. She found cover behind a pile of stones and saw the bat monster had chosen to chase Sheva, whose red cloak offered more of a tempting lure.

An arrow clattered off the rocks next to her head and she turned to see half a dozen majini clamoring over stone walls and slinking around corners. They were silent but she could hear the shouts and calls of more coming up from behind them. "Forget this," she said, and touched her communicator. "Sheva, get to the door, it's suicide to fight them all in the open like this."

"Right!" was Sheva's reply.

Claire moved as spears and arrows rained around her, missing her by inches. She joined Sheva in running towards the door as the bat monster fell in behind them. Claire could feel the heat from its breath and she ran faster, knowing she would need every spare moment to slip through the door. Sheva was in front and with an agile twist she lost no time in making it past. Claire tried the same trick, knowing if she failed she would look foolish for only a moment before the monster killed her.

She made it but not fast enough to avoid being hit in the butt by the door when it slammed shut from being hit by the bat monster. Claire collided with Sheva and they both fell, their weapons clattering on the floor.

The sounds from outside were muted by the door, but it was clear the bat monster saw no friend in the majini nor they it. Claire and Sheva got to their feet, brushing the dirt and dust from themselves and took stock of their new surroundings. "Looks like Irving wasn't lying," said Claire, looking at the long, steel-walled hallway in front of her. It glowed dimly from tiny bulbs in the ceiling, many of which were burnt out. While old, it was clearly not part of the ancient city.

"No, but this still raises a lot more questions than answers," said Sheva. "I'll try radioing HQ."

Sheva called into her communicator a number of times with no success; the limits of their high-end communication devices had been reached.

Claire swapped her spent magnum round for a new one and holstered the weapon. They followed the hallway as it led them past a series of rooms which they investigated. Many were storage areas, or held ancient-looking computers that did not appear to function. Claire licked her lips in anticipation of saying a certain word, and when she finally saw the circle with alternating red and white stripes she said "Umbrella."

"That explains a lot, but still, more questions." Sheva said. "Hold on..."

They were in a small room with its far walls lined with computer work stations. Files had been set lying about in a disorganized fashion and many of the computer stations not only functioned but looked up to date. Sheva went to one of the computers while Claire flipped through a box of paper files.

The files were old and yellow but a few were new and bore Tricell letterhead. When Claire saw this she felt something shift inside her, like a tectonic plate releasing gas and magma. She grabbed the box and tossed it across the room then drew her pistol and aimed it at one of the computer banks.

"Claire!" Sheva shouted, coming over to her and grabbing her arm. Claire holstered the pistol and yanked her arm away. "What's wrong?"

"Their names are on everything," she said. "It's just like Raccoon City and Rockfort Island, these people are so, so...arrogant, it's insane! It's like they have no idea that what they're doing is wrong so they take no trouble to keep from getting caught. Or they're just so damn sure of themselves they don't care. It drives me crazy!"

Her anger had lessened to where she could feel embarrassed at the outburst, which had been completely unexpected. That scared her a little. Sheva made a shushing sound and holding her by the hips, guided Claire to one of the dark computer banks. "You need to relax, there's no telling what's up ahead," said Sheva, touching Claire's chest until she was calm. Slowly Sheva's hands dropped and she undid the top of Claire's pants.

"I'm over it," Claire said quickly, putting some protest in her voice meanwhile her body had other plans and helped Sheva slide her jeans down past her buttocks.

Sheva wet her fingers in her mouth and when she pulled them out, said "Just watch the door and enjoy yourself."

Claire's gaze settled on the almond-shaped face before her. Sheva's dark, creamy lips held the barest hint of a smile and her eyes were wide and bright. Her smooth skin glowed beneath the sweat and grime that had come to cover them both and Clair hoped she looked half as good as the woman in front of her. She could feel Sheva's fingers going in deeper each time they flexed, teasing pleasure from her. Claire's eyes flickered to the door and she planned to immediately kill anything that would interrupt them. The sensation filling her was like cool water being poured over her while she baked in the sun.

With her eyes locked on Sheva's, Claire opened her vest and slid her hand beneath the tight shirt she wore, pulling the fabric upward and letting her breasts hang free. Sheva smiled, and caressed one, then the other before undoing her own top.

Unable to resist them any longer, Claire leaned forward to meet Sheva's lips. They tasted like sweat and dirt at first but then wet, soft flesh. Claire inhaled deeply as she nuzzled Sheva's neck, then leaned back so Sheva could massage between her legs. Claire gripped the corner of the computer bank when she felt herself start to orgasm, but Sheva pulled her closer and held her with her free hand before it hit. Claire buried her face in Sheva's shoulder and kept her moans to a low volume, not wanting to attract nearby danger.

When Claire was done she slid to the floor with Sheva's help, who then took Claire's former position at the computer bank. Claire caught her breath for a few moments and pushed up the animal skin skirt Sheva wore. Despite having just come, Claire went to it eagerly, licking Sheva deep and hard at first, then pulling back to focus on her clitoris. Claire's wet tongue was made all the slipperier by Sheva's own moisture and she had to lick hard to gain traction, pushing Sheva's sensitive flesh around and making her body curl inward and writhe.

Claire heard her name whispered before Sheva let out one loud shout followed by a series of tight moans. She gripped Claire's head for support as she leaned forward, and Claire did not let up with her tongue. When Sheva was done she leaned into Claire, who had stood. "Feeling better now?" asked Sheva.

"I still want to trash this place, but yeah," said Claire. "Let's get a move on. Ada is probably here and we're running against her, now."

Mentioning Ada pained her but it had to be said. Sheva nodded and followed Claire back into the hall but not before she plugged her mobile device into one of the computers and started a download. "How are we going to handle Ada if she's our enemy?" Sheva asked.

Claire only shrugged. She supposed they might fight but she could not imagine shooting at her former lover.

Her thoughts became more focused as they came to a large room where one side was dominated by three cylindrical glass tubes. They each held some semi-transparent fluid and Claire could see intravenous tubes and breathing apparatuses suspended from the tops of the containers. The door on the far side was automatic, and it slid open before Claire and Sheva were halfway across the room. Silhouetted in the light from the room beyond were two feminine figures. The one in front stood with a broad stance with her fists at her sides while the other stood as though posing for a magazine photographer, hips out with palm in the air while she held something.

The first figure moved forward into the lights of the room with the tubes and Claire's muscles became tense when she saw Jill Valentine. Behind Jill was one of the most beautiful women Claire had ever seen. Her chin and nose were sharp while her other features were soft. Her black hair was done up in a high nest giving her a classic look at odds with the outfit she wore. It was a salmon colored business suit with a short skirt that showed off her curvacious legs.

"Well, well, given all the trouble you two have managed to cause I can't say I'm surprised to see you made it this far," said the woman. Claire thought her accent was Italian.

"Excella Gionne," said Sheva. "I didn't think we'd actually find you here, but I guess it makes sense."

Claire could easily shoot Excella from where she stood, but having seen Jill's speed earlier knew it was possible, likely even, that Jill would take the bullet for her. Excella certainly did not seem worried about being shot.

"Oh, I assure you that you know very little about what's happening, even now," said Excella. "I'll be happy to explain it to you in detail but not until I'm certain you won't be interfering. Now, drop your weapons and communication devices and this won't have to get ugly."

Excella held the air of one accustomed to being obeyed but it was clear she did not expect to be now and was looking forward to using force. Claire decided she had to take a chance and raised her pistol with the intention of shattering one of Excella's well-groomed shins with a bullet. Jill responded as predicted and move into the line of fire before charging at Claire.

-She'll try and tackle me,- Claire thought, and she prepared to move sideways. Rather than drive at her shoulder first, Jill swept with her feet and caught one of Claire's ankles, forcing her into an awkward split. Claire's wrist was grabbed and twisted and she released her gun. In the same movement she was thrown sharply to the side and into Sheva, who had waited too long to decide on whether or not to help Claire or shoot Excella.

Claire unshouldered her rifle and knew she would have to hurt Jill after all if she wanted to ultimately save her, but before she could fire a round the barrel of the gun was jerked upward and a knee rose to meet Claire's jaw. Her senses reported nothing but a white burst of pain, but she was also dimly aware her magnum had been plucked from its holster. As her senses quickly returned to a diminished capacity she heard Sheva's shotgun go off, then Sheva cry out in pain.

When Claire came more fully to her senses and rose to her feet, the look on Excella's face told her how the battle was going. She was smiling and tapping the syringe she held. "Play with them a little more, I want them to see that they never had a chance," said Excella.

Jill had lifted Sheva into the air by her neck and for a moment Claire thought it was over for her new lover when Jill removed Sheva's knife from its sheath. Rather than disembowel her, Jill drove the hilt into Sheva's taught stomach before tossing her into Claire, who had drawn her own blade.

They both rose to their knees and Claire pressed her knife into Sheva's hand as the other woman coughed and groaned. "Go for Excella," Claire said, knowing she did not need to say more.

Claire shouted and ran at Jill, knowing she would be beaten but thought to give Sheva enough time to subdue Excella. Jill sidestepped her and used her knee like a hook to catch Claire in the stomach. The sharp blows to her kidneys were like kicks from a horse, sending the fight completely out of Claire's body and she crumpled to the floor in a curled heap. She could what sounded like a butcher tenderizing meat and Sheva's sharp screams.

"That's enough," said Excella. "Now, hold her still."

Claire rolled onto her back where she could see Jill had taken Sheva by the hair and pulled her into a kneeling position. Excella touched a syringe to her neck and there was a small puffing sound. It was like she had flipped an "off" switch on Sheva who went completely limp and collapsed to the floor when Jill released her.

Claire managed to get to her feet, no longer caring who she injured now so long as she hurt someone before going down. A hard slap to the side of her head staggered her and she was forced to her knees by Jill's powerful arms. -What the hell is making her so strong?- Claire had time to wonder before she felt the prick of the needle on the side of her neck. Her vision darkened and became fuzzed over, like she was looking at static on a television screen while going down a long, long slide.

XXX

She woke up in a white room.

It was a ten foot by ten foot square. On one side was a white cot. In a corner, a toilet. Claire was lying in the middle of the room and while her head felt heavy she felt only small discomfort. Being completely nude she could see she had received some medical attention. Her largest cuts had been closed with medical glue while the dirt and grime had been scrubbed from her leaving her pale skin a rosy, flush color. She still felt damp in some places and noticed someone had taken the liberty of removing her pubic hair.

She got to her feet and went to the door. There was no handle, only a flat surface where one placed their palm to be scanned. The door's only other feature was small, silver rectangle at face height where Claire assumed she could be seen from the other side. She banged on it to ensure it was solid, then went to the cot to wait.

"Talk about arrogance," she said to test out her voice. She swallowed and wondered what had made her think that two people could shoot their way through a sophisticated bio-terror organization. Perhaps it was the first two times she had done so, but she should have expected her luck to run out at some point.

She tried to clean under her fingernails but saw they had also been cleansed, and trimmed. Claire thought that was an awful lot of grooming for a person they planned to kill but there were worse things than that. She wondered what had been done to Sheva and resolved to beat the information out of the first person to enter her cell.

The room was insulated against sound and she had no idea how long she sat there, alone. She had time to worry about Sheva and to hope her brother, or more likely Ada, would rescue her. She was angry about needing her but decided she could still hope for something that galled her if it meant Sheva would be safe.

-I finally get my love life in order and then this happens,- she thought.

When the door opened all thoughts of love left her and she felt the fragility of her life quite keenly. Alexia Ashford had stepped in and let the door close behind her. She wore a simple white tunic that made it easy to see she wore nothing underneath.

Alexia stood still as a statue, her blue eyes beaming down at Claire like she were a cornered bug that had long eluded the fly swatter. Alexia's face bore no malice, only amusement and satisfaction. "You look afraid," said Alexia. "Do you regret defying me back then?"

Claire thought if she did not, she soon would but said nothing and kept still. She knew how strong and fast Alexia was and there was no hope of out-fighting her. -She wants you to be afraid, look afraid,- thought Claire.

Alexia caught her by the arm and threw her against the back wall. Before Claire could fall forward, Alexia was there to catch her and hold her against the white, cold surface. "Did you know that some wasps will sting tarantulas to paralyze them," Alexia said, holding Claire up by the chin. "They then bury the arachnid in a hole where they lay their eggs. The eggs hatch and the larvae eat the spider alive. Nature is cruel, is it not?"

"It can be," said Claire, feeling the strength in the fingers that held her like clamps.

"Mammals find the behaviors of insects abhorrent, but given their numbers on this planet compared to humans, whose behavior is truly abnormal?"

Claire did not know what to say, so she kept silent while trying to hide her discomfort.

"You could have been my beloved pet, Claire," said Alexia. "You and the Oriental, but you chose to betray me to Wesker. I'm sure you did not intend for that to be beneficial to me, as it has been, so you will be punished...no, rather I shall train you. Or perhaps I should kill you?"

"I don't want to die," Claire said. She almost pleaded for Sheva's life but thought Alexia might do something horrible to her out of spite, if she had not already.

"Bow down, then," said Alexia, releasing Claire, who got to her knees and bent her head. Alexia's foot came down on her shoulder and forced her face to the ground. "You bow low when you bow to me, understood? Now show me what a little worm you are and lick my feet."

Remembering the last time she had been at Alexia's mercy, Claire told herself as long as she was alive there was the chance to escape. -Only this time I'm making sure you're dead afterward,- thought Claire.

Her tongue stuck out past her lips and touched Alexia's right foot. She had come in with light slippers, which she had kicked off before making Claire kneel. At least Alexia had nice feet. Her toes were plump without being stumpy and she kept them clean and well groomed. The foot Claire was not licking kicked her in the face suddenly then pressed down on the back of her head, forcing her into the floor.

"Is that how you lick feet, Claire? Humiliate yourself correctly or I'll find something less pleasant for you to do."

Claire licked the top of her foot with broader strokes, tasting the salty skin. Her tongue dipped between Alexia's toes as she cradled the foot in her hands. When she had scoured the foot she moved to the other and gave it the same, through treatment, tossing in a few kisses which made Alexia titter.

"Very good, Claire. Did you enjoy that?"

"Yes," Claire said, quietly.

"Tell me, will your Oriental friend be coming to help you? Is she here?"

"I don't know."

Claire was picked up by her hair and held by it an inch from the ground. She held on to Alexia's wrist for support then kicked at her.

She was dropped on her feet then shoved into the wall. When she came off it a fist hit her high in the stomach, then blows began to hit her all over. She fought back but each time she was hit it was like being kicked by a mule. The strikes to her head were with an open palm but they were hard enough to make her see white flashes. When she could stand no longer she sunk to her knees and continued to be hit until she slumped to the floor where she was stomped by the feet she had licked.

Still conscious, she was again hoisted into the air by her hair only instead of threats Alexia was making soft cooing sounds. "Do you enjoy being hurt? Is that why you defy me? I can hurt you if you like, just lie to me once more and I can hurt you badly."

"S-she's probably here," said Claire, more confused than afraid, although she was very much afraid. "I really don't know. She got to Irving before we did; the last I saw of her was at the oil refinery."

She both feared and hoped that information would be useless to Alexia.

"I take it the Oriental is here of her own accord, while the dark one is your true companion," said Alexia.

Claire put as much steel into her voice as she could and looked into Alexia's face. "You leave her alone," she said. "You do whatever you want to me and I'll tell you whatever you want, but if you hurt Sheva I'll bite my tongue off and that'll be the end of your fun, got it?"

"Don't bite your tongue off, dear, that wouldn't help you," said Alexia as she stroked Claire's face, making goosebumps appear on her skin. "And your friend was given to someone else already, so I can not say what's become of her."

Claire swallowed and wished Alexia would stop caressing her, even it meant blows. Her fear must have shown on her face and body because Alexia began to coo again. "Don't be so afraid," said Alexia. "I underestimated you in Antarctica, but not this time. I'm going to train you to enjoy licking my feet and humiliating yourself without having to be told. Can you imagine how wonderful being my pet will be?"

"N-no," said Claire. "Just...please, don't hurt Sheva." She was unable to resist making the plea, despite the risk.

Alexia tittered again. "She belongs to Excella Gionne. Perhaps if you please me well enough, Claire, I will work my influence over the woman. Can you believe she thinks herself my equal in all things, even beauty?"

"You're more beautiful," said Claire, thinking both Alexia and Excella were as gorgeous as they were horrible.

More laughter came from Alexia. "Your groveling is so awkward it must be genuine. Perhaps your not as strong as I thought? Sit on the cot, now. Spread your legs."

Claire was released and she did as she was told, glad to be free of Alexia's bizarre affection. She looked up at Alexia who with a blank expression stared down at Claire as though she were on a high tower. "Pleasure yourself," Alexia said. "Show me what a slut you are."

-Here we go,- Claire thought, not knowing if enjoying the sexual aspects of her adventures made them more bearable or if it was a sign of deep psychological damage. She stuck two fingers in her mouth to wet them and in so doing felt herself become wet between the legs. -Wow, you really can get used to anything.-

It felt good to touch herself. She spread her legs wider and set her heels on the cot as her fingers went in circles over the soft flesh beneath them. Her head rested against the wall and she allowed herself to admire Alexia's body as her fingers plunged in and caressed her as they drew out.

"You should thank me for allowing you pleasure," said Alexia.

"Thank you," said Claire, feeling her face turn red. "It feels good."

-Just say what she wants to hear and make it convincing,- thought Claire. -You'll need to be in good shape if you want to get out of here.-

Alexia began to remove her tunic while Claire felt her orgasm build. When the garment slipped from the tall woman's shoulders and fell down around her ankles, Claire knew she would climax soon. If one did not look into Alexia's eyes she was fine sight when naked. Her hips were thin but not too narrow compared to her waist. Her stomach was flat but soft looking and her breasts hung with a natural bounce. Claire could find no flaw on her, not so much as a birth mark or skin tag.

"It's a shame you did not submit to me completely when you had the chance," Alexia said. "Had you been a good pet I might have made you nearly as beautiful as I am. Now look at you. I'm sure you pass for attractive amongst the beasts, but you're covered in imperfections."

There was no place on Claire's body that did not feel cut or bruised but Alexia's words made her think of the dozens of small things she did not like about herself. Stubborn hairs, freckles, things Ada and Ashley insisted were cute but she did not like to be reminded of. She let her wounded vanity show on her face, thinking it might appease Alexia some.

"Now you're catching on," said Alexia, reading Claire's expression. "Get on the floor."

Alexia took her place on the cot and spread her legs. Her yellow pubic hair was short and Claire could see the pink flesh under it. Without being told she crawled forward and ran her tongue up the length of Alexia's slit. "You do learn fast," said Alexia. "Don't neglect yourself, love."

-Ew,- Claire thought, hearing the word "love." She used one hand to keep her balance on Alexia's thigh while she returned to rubbing herself with the other. It was like trying to rub her head and pat her stomach at the same time but she put most of her attention on Alexia, who showed her pleasure by humming.

When Alexia came she gripped Claire's head and made no effort not to hurt her. Even so, Claire kept licking, knowing Alexia enjoyed it. Eventually she was shoved back while Alexia sat up straight. "Finish yourself off, slut. Show me what an insatiable little animal you are."

Claire laid on her back and spread her legs. She went back to rubbing herself in circles and thought about punching Alexia in the face to make herself come. She wanted to moan but kept herself to breathing loud and hard. She cried out when Alexia's foot came down on her stomach. "Is that how you come?" she asked. "Is it?"

"No," Claire coughed, holding her stomach and thinking she far preferred abuse to any indication that Alexia felt something for her.

"If you try to hide what a little beast you truly are then perhaps I can come up with something to better tease the animal out of you. I shall return later. Until then I want you to keep pleasuring yourself. I may watch at the door and I may not, but either way the room is monitored. Do you think I won't know if you do not do as your told?"

"No," said Claire. "I'll do as you say." She felt like her skin was on fire but she forced herself to look up at Alexia.

Alexia looked as though she might speak more, but instead knelt down and kissed Claire on the head. She stood back up and put on her tunic and slippers without speaking, and left.

Claire rubbed the spot where she had been kissed to make the fading sensation of Alexia's lips disappeared, then covered her face in her hands. -She's too creepy,- Claire thought, then remembered Alexia's last command. Not wanting her to return and deliver a beating, or worse, affection, Claire sucked on two of her fingers to wet them and started to pleasure herself as best she could.

**To be continued...**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven.**

Sheva's head felt heavy but the room was no longer spinning. She had been awake for a few minutes and had not been able to determine where she was because whatever had been used to knock her out for what felt like the dozenth time had some serious side effects.

She was in the middle of a room that reminded her of a dentist office. Rather than sitting in a chair or strapped to a table her body was suspended in the center a circular frame. Clamps covering her hands down to the middle of her forearm held her up and her legs were secured in a similar fashion. The frame shook when she shifted her weight but it was springy and she sensed that no matter how hard she writhed and shook it would hold her in place. She was still nude and a large mirror on the far wall showed her she had been washed, her wounds tended, and her pubic hair shaved or waxed off.

Sheva had been in some bleak scenarios before but could not remember being this helpless or feeling more exposed. She tried to tell herself she had signed up for this, that the life of a BSAA agent was not fated to end well, but those types of sayings were cold comfort now and she hated them bitterly. Sheva thought she might be able to handle despair, but knowing Claire was likely in similar straights made it unbearable and so she hung her head and tried to let her mind go blank. It seemed like the most dignified way to behave, she thought, and tried not to let herself be tempted to think that some sort of rescue might coming.

When the door opened she kept her head down until it was lifted up by the chin. Excella wore a white dress and collared shirt, making her look like a nurse, while Jill Valentine, who stood behind her, wore her battle suit, the one that seemed painted onto her. "Awake at last," Sheva said. "Don't worry, there should be little reason to sedate you from here on out. You probably want to know what happened to your girlfriend?"

Sheva nodded, not wishing to speak.

"Alexia claimed her. Seems the two have a history. Alexia has also claimed Ada Wong, assuming she can found. I'd hate to be those two. I'd much rather be you, if I had to pick."

"And why's that?" asked Sheva.

"You'll see," said Excella.

Excella went to a freezer and was enshrouded in water vapor upon opening the door. When the door shut, Excella held up a syringe filled with some pink fluid.

"What is that?" asked Sheva, wanting to at least be prepared for what was about to happen.

"Something I invented," Excella said. "It's an aphrodisiac, the best one in the world. Or it would be if I had time to perfect it. It's a little strong and needles are a turn off for some people."

The needle went in and there was pain. Sheva's skin suddenly felt hot and started to produce a thin veneer of perspiration all over her body. Her muscles contracted and she squirmed, feeling herself become sopping wet between her legs.

Excella waived her hand at Jill, who left the room and came back pushing a cart with a cloth over the top. Excella removed the clock with the a magician's flourish revealing whips, a riding crop, numerous dildos of various shapes and designs, some ominous looking clamps, candles, a lighter, and a string or two of beads. Sheva swallowed and felt herself sweating more as Excella stood close to her, dangling her fingers and trying to decide where she should touch. She decided to caress Sheva's left breast.

A powerful surge of pleasure hummed through Sheva's chest at the light pressure and when Excella began to massage both breasts Sheva could not keep from crying out. The slightest touch sent near orgasmic shocks through her and she was barely aware of Excella laughing.

When she took her hands away, Sheva was left breathing heavy and sweating more; her skin now felt like it was under the noonday sun. "My, my, I hope you don't pass out," Excella said. "I tried the drug myself once at a much lower dose and I haven't touched it since. It's hard to make and it might be addictive. Let me guess, you feel hot all over, you're dripping wet, and what I just did almost made you come, no?"

Sheva did not answer, and with a smile Excella touched her breast again, this time lifting it up so she could flick the stiff nipple with her tongue. Sheva screamed as pleasure tore through her. Excella licked the other nipple, then called Jill over so both Sheva's tits had wet tongues on them.

"Well, this is interesting," Excella said, letting a breast out of her mouth. "Feel how swollen they are? You're lactating."

"W-what?" Sheva asked, looking down. A white substance had collected around her nipple and Excella went back to sucking it, making low moans of satisfaction. She let the nipple out of her mouth and squeezed the breast to make it squirt milk. Each time she did so it made Sheva feel like she was about to come.

"It's a shame I didn't bring anything to milk you with. Maybe next time. Jill, fetch that lubricant from the cupboard."

Sheva was relieved as she had not noticed lubricant on Excella's tray of tools.

"Don't hand it to me, fool," Excella said as Jill came over with the bottle. "Take that string of beads...the ones that go from small to large, and go around behind her."

Jill did as she was told and went out of sight while Excella once again began lightly playing with Sheva's breasts, squeezing them until milk leaked from the nipple and into the floor or was licked off by Excella. "You like that, don't you?" Excella asked. "I know, that drug makes the strangest things sexy. When I used it I wanted to fuck Jill's hair, can you imagine? Is me drinking your milk hot, or is it hot?"

Sheva said nothing but could not disagree with Excella's observation. Watching her breasts be sucked, seeing Excella drink her milk, made her toes curl inside her restraints and she thought her vagina might literally be dripping. "H-how long..."

"A few hours, but the intensity drops off after an hour or so. Of course this is an experiment and you have been given a very large dose, so we shall see what happens. Jill, lubricate those beads and put the smallest in her ass."

Jill was not rough but she was prompt and direct. Sheva felt her cheeks spread and something pushed into her anus, sending a powerful sensation up her body. "One more every two seconds, Jill," Excella said, and was obeyed precisely. Sheva felt herself being spread more and more as the seconds went by and once it felt like a large dildo had been shoved into her, Excella called for Jill to stop.

Excella stood back and watched Sheva sweat and writhe before going to the trolley and picking up one of the vibrators. It was shaped like a mace and designed to be held over soft areas rather than be inserted in them. -Probably says back massager on the label,- Sheva thought, knowing she was about to come soon and was almost afraid to. She was dripping with sweat and other fluids and could almost hear the drops hitting the floor. Each time she moved in the slightest the beads inside her would make her shake.

She heard the massager buzz as Excella stepped closer and whispered "Are you ready?"

"Y-yes," said Sheva.

"It's going to be intense. Are you sure you want it?"

"Do it," said Sheva. "Give it to me and get it over with."

"Oh, this will only be the beginning," said Excella. "Jill, when she starts to come, yank the beads out."

The massage head touched Sheva's wet clitoris and it was like a cup of water being thrown into a bowl of hot oil; a sizzling, crackling explosion. It burst inside Sheva, who screamed then had the scream cut off when she felt the beads pulled. She was vaguely aware of making some awful sound before her vision darkened and she passed out.

Sheva was buoyed up from unconsciousness by the same sensation that had driven her under. It was powerful enough for her to not know what was happening for several minutes as her body twisted amidst unknown pleasure. When she regained a sense of herself she could see from the mirror that Jill was still behind her, now on her knees and working a dildo into her vagina. The beads, she could feel, had been placed back in her ass, likely to be removed when she came next.

Excella was sitting in a chair, her skirt pulled up and her hand between her legs. Sheva wanted to dive between her curving, olive-colored thighs and felt herself struggle in vain against her bonds. "See something you like?" asked Excella.

"Not really," said Sheva.

"Tsk, tsk. You should really..."

Sheva interrupted her with a loud moan. Her orgasm had come unexpectedly and Jill worked the dildo rapidly in and out of Sheva's slick womanhood while quickly removing the beads from the other end. Sheva felt like her muscles would come off her bones as she shook inside her restraints. The one blessing seemed to be the orgasms were fairly short, and Sheva did not pass out this time. Panting, feeling like she had run a marathon, Sheva hung with her head down while she dripped. She wanted more.

"You didn't pass out that time," said Excella. "Maybe the drug peaked early..."

The door behind her opened and Excella spun around. Sheva looked up when she heard Excella stammering and sensed something in the air had changed. Even Jill seemed to have become tense, moving of her own accord towards Excella.

Standing in the doorway was the most striking woman Sheva had ever seen. Tall, long straight blond hair, and a small, elfish face with large blue eyes, the woman wore a plain white tunic as if she were only paying lip service to modesty. The woman held the demeanor of a house guest somehow separated from a tour, but the effect her presence had on Excella clearly delighted her.

"There you are," said the woman, and the sound of her voice made Sheva realize who she was. What little hope left in her died and she sunk in her bonds.

"Alexia," said Excella, stepping backward towards Jill. She seemed to compose herself the closer she got to her body guard. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"I came to see this one," said Alexia. Sheva picked her head up to see she was being looked at like a tender bit of fish. She felt her skin crawl and wanted Alexia to touch her.

"Albert said I could use this one for my experiments," said Excella, moving closer to Jill.

"Wesker says many things," said Alexia. "I wish to know what your plans are for this one. It seems the Redfield creature values her well-being."

"Would you like me to ruin her, then?" Excella said, sounding disappointed.

"On the contrary, keep her as physically whole as you can. I do not wish the other woman to give in to despair so soon. Of course by all means have your fun with her." Alexia picked up the riding crop from the table and made it slap in her hand. She beckoned Excella to come closer, and sticking the crop beneath the woman's pointed chin, forced her head up and back. "You've done something to this one, what?"

"A-30, a triple dose," said Excella, a slight tremble in her voice and frame.

"Ah, that ridiculous aphrodisiac. Have you learned anything from this experiment?"

"That in a high enough dose it causes lactation...duration, and the risks of habit forming are..."

"Unknown, as the experiment is still going on," said Alexia. "I expect a full report later. Now, shall we test a few things?'

The crop stung one of Sheva's lactating breasts and she cried out from pleasure rather than pain. Alexia struck her other breast and got the same reaction; then she began hitting with more force. The crop was a blur, the slaps against Sheva's flesh blended together as small amounts of her breast milk spattered the floor.

Sheva was breathing heavy and moaning under the onslaught. The strikes left a pleasurable burning sensation and she felt herself eager for more. "Did that hurt, or was it pleasurable?" asked Alexia. "Answer me."

"B-both," she said. "More pleasure than pain."

She was struck twice over her taught stomach and while she felt the sting beneath it, it was more of a lover's caress. She felt the leather crop over her womanhood, felt Alexia rub it with the leather tip, then shrieked as she received a short slap. Then another, then another. Alexia began striking Sheva's pussy in a steady rhythm, hitting harder each time. Sheva screamed in both pain and ecstasy, then felt her entire body convulse as an orgasm ravaged her. She shook her head and gyrated her hips and legs but Alexia's precision strikes kept coming, driving up the power of the orgasm until Sheva blacked out once more.

XXX

Ada stepped out of the broom closet and into a long, empty hallway. She had been breathing heavily and her fingers were still moist. She sucked them, tasting herself before shaking her head to clear it. This was the second time since entering the old Umbrella lab that she had decided to stop and pleasure herself.

-I haven't had to do that since I was a rookie,- she thought.

The majini who guarded the facility were armed with AK47 assault rifles and while they were too aggressive to use the weapons effectively they were much more dangerous than before. She could not afford to have Claire Redfield on her might right now, and while masturbating helped her focus in the short-term she found her thoughts constantly returning to her ex.

Her mind was taken off Claire briefly and a low whistle slipped past her lips when she stepped from the wide hall out into the open and looked up at an elevator lift shaft large enough to accommodate a small sky scraper. The shaft was dotted with metal pods, each with a glass panel on the front. She had no idea what the pods held, if anything, but there were a lot of them.

A circular lift was fixed around a large pole in the center of the shaft and the lift itself sported a number of computer terminals which controlled the lift itself. She stepped out of the service hall and onto the platform and too late sensed a presence behind her. She spun around and backed up, pointing her small machine gun at whoever had ambushed her.

Her move had been anticipated and whoever it was was also fast enough to get close to her and grab her arm, jerking it so her weapon's muzzle was pointed harmlessly past her assailants thickly muscled torso. He had also brought a short machete-like blade up with his free arm and held it so he could slash across her face.

"You should carry a knife. They work better in tight spots," said the man. He had short, dark hair and a few days of stubble for a beard. He wore a tight fitting shirt and olive drab fatigues but what struck her was his eyes. They were identical to Claire's.

She almost cursed herself for thinking of that girl again, but then doubly cursed herself for not seeing the man for who he was, and for letting him get the drop on her.

"Chris Redfield," said Ada. "I thought I might find you here."

"And I was starting to think you'd be a no-show, Ada Wong." He let her go and she lowered her weapon.

"My employers didn't exactly draw me a map," said Ada. "But I see you haven't had much trouble getting here."

"Krauser did draw me a map, but I wouldn't say I didn't have any trouble," he said, walking out onto the platform.

Ada sighed, not wanting to discuss Krauser. "Were you told anything useful or have you just been sent to cause damage?"

"All I know is my partner is here somewhere and whatever Wesker is up to has to be stopped," said Chris. "Can I assume you're here up to no good?"

Ada smiled and began to walk in a semi-circle around Chris as he examined one of the computer consoles. "You sound just like that sister of yours," she said.

"Yeah. I heard you two know each other," he said. "I don't approve, but that's her business."

"You don't approve of what?"

"Of her being with you," he said. "You're bad news in a lot of ways. No offense."

"That I am," said Ada. "Well, don't worry. She doesn't want anything to do with me anymore and it seems she's found a new friend in that BSAA agent she was paired with. Are you okay with those two, or does it offend you?"

Chris cocked an eyebrow and smirked. "I'm an open minded guy. I just don't like my sister being involved with people who enable bioterrorism. That must be why she dumped you?"

"She didn't dump me, I dumped her because I correctly decided it would never work," said Ada, feeling her voice rise in tempo. "Are you as naive as she is? You can't be, going rogue like you did."

"I wouldn't call her naive," Chris said. "She does what she knows is right."

"She does, but does she know what the BSAA does with the research materials and bioweapon samples it seizes from terrorists and corrupt pharmaceutical companies? Interesting how governments like the USA can learn so much and keep their hands clean, isn't it?"

"You stole Las Plagas from Los Illuminados and sold it on the black market," Chris said. "You made Kijuju happen, like it or not, and if Wesker gets away here you'll have helped with that. You justify it anyway you want, lady, but no one else is buying it, least of all Claire."

"Whatever," said Ada.

"Whatever? You don't sound like you mean that," said Chris. "I was a cop for a short time, you know. I didn't do much with arrests and suspects but I had a knack for spotting deceptive people."

"I'm deceptive? What was your first clue, cop?"

Chris grinned. "Look, I know you're here to steal Uroboros and turn it over to Birkin. I want two things, I want my partner and want Wesker out of the game. I don't want a repeat of this mess so if I get the chance to stop you, I'm takin' it."

"So why didn't you kill me just now?" Ada asked.

"Because if you're the evil bitch everyone says you are, my sister wouldn't have had anything to do with you in the first place. She's not as naïve as you think. I think we can help each other up to a certain point, then I'm going to count on you to do the right thing."

Ada let an incredulous look spread over her face despite it being more expression than she liked to show a man she had just met. "If you think I live my life to please people like you and Claire, prepare for disappointment."

"I'm always prepared for that," said Chris. As he spoke a vibration was felt in their feet, perhaps caused by some distant machine. "One more thing. You can pretend you don't give a shit about what Claire thinks, but the fact remains that you're upset about her. And aside from that, someone like you might pick up a girl like Claire for fun, but you wouldn't have kept her around like you did if there wasn't something else going on."

"I think it's a good thing you didn't have much to do with suspects when you were a cop," said Ada. "You're a gunman, not an investigator, Chris."

"And you someone my sister cares about, which is why I haven't shot you. Just remember when you get hold of that Uroboros sample, you have some options.

He did not wait for her to respond and went to the console to start the elevator. The air hummed and the lit began to rotate and descend. It shook and Ada thought that normal for such an old shaft. "You know your sister and her partner are probably here," said Ada.

Chris wiped his hand over his face and looked tired. "I thought they might be," he said. "Think they're alright?"

"Knowing Claire, she's been captured. I'll send her to you if I see her," said Ada.

The platform shook violently and they looked up to see a large, dark object descending on them. Red lights went on around them as the thing stopped at the edge of the platform, wedging itself between it and the outer wall of the shaft. Ada could not decide if the thing reminded her more of a spider or a crab. It hung onto the lift with two large hooked legs and had a set of matching legs in the back which it used to keep itself up on that end. It had multiple red orbs for eyes beaded over a vertical mouth slit that was protected by sharp, interlocking plates.

The thing unhooked one of its legs and attempted to spear Chris, who leaped aside so the chitinous appendage dented the steel floor. Ada fired her machine gun into the monster's face and saw her bullets scratch the rough outer shell. If she used most of her ammo, she thought, she might damage one of its eyes and so decided to take cover behind the center pole on the lift where Chris had gone.

"Any ideas?" she asked.

"I don't know, it's shell looks pretty tough," he said, backing up from the center so he could get a better view of the creature, which was now shimmying around the lift's edge on its claws to better swipe at them. It was awkward and gangly at first, but soon the monster found its balance and went along quickly, forcing Ada and Chris to move around the central pillar at a faster pace.

"Try the legs, maybe we can knock it off," said Ada, firing a burst from her machine gun at the spider-crab's support claws. As she expected, the bullets ricocheted off, doing even less damage than they had done to the shell on the body.

"No good," said Chris. "Shit, look out!"

A loud flapping noise filled the air and Ada saw it was from half a dozen or so winged things that had flown wetly out of some unknown orifice in the crab monster's body. They came buzzing and hovering hesitantly towards Ada and Chris but soon became incensed and darted forward. Ada could not make out their shapes clearly but they they were the size of her head at least and sported sharp appendages.

Chris began firing his pistol, hitting his marks and taking down a winged beast with each shot. Their shells were hard, but not enough to stop bullets. Pieces of flying creature littered the floor but more still came at the two humans, forcing them to duck and run to where the larger crab monster could attack.

Ada sensed an incoming claw and jumped backward, turning over and springing off on one hand back to her feet. When the claw swiped at Chris he jumped and it missed him by inches. When it made stabs at him, he moved to the side but never farther than he had to, keeping his position on the lift. Ada, for her part, turned her attention the remaining flying monsters and with short bursts from her gun was able to fell them.

"I'm going to try and get a grenade in its mouth," said Chris. "Distract it."

Ada fired a burst of bullets at the monster's face, or at least the part of the body where its eyes were set, and it reared up a long claw to strike at Chris as he came closer. It missed but began snapping the plates around its mouth, too quickly for Chris to slip the grenade he held in. By Ada's estimated he had a few seconds before he would need to retreat or be slashed by a hooking claw and she desperately tried to think of something to distract the thing.

Its body was a black mass of armor, the only other color being a light red where the long legs jointed. She let out a puff of air from her lips at her slowness and aimed at the red flesh on the leg. Her bullets connected and chunks of tissue separated from soft spot, not doing much in terms of damage but causing the monster severe discomfort. There was a screeching noise and the sound of Chris shouting "Aha!" before he was scrambling backward from the crab monster.

The grenade's detonation was muted, but its affect was clearly seen on the crab-spider. All but the smallest eyes had burst and blood and ichor were running from the sockets as well as some seams in the shell that had come loose. The monster did not die immediately. Instead it made a rattling noise as it retreated to the lift wall, then fell.

After a little searching Ada found the switch that restarted the lift and they once again began their descent.

"Guess we work pretty well together," said Chris.

"When we have to," said Ada.

"The infected men down here are all armed," said Chris. "They don't know what they're doing, but the guns make them dangerous."

Ada smiled. "Alright, I'll help you get past the resistance but after that I think it would be best if we split up."

"Sounds good to me," he said, and they rode the elevator down in silence.

**To be continued...**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve.**

Claire was face down on a bed with her buttocks raised in the air. Behind her stood Alexia, who was teasing her slit with the end of a large dildo. Claire's head was between the legs of Excella Gionne, who was idly stroking her hair while she talked to Alexia.

"What is Wesker waiting for?" Alexia asked, after having talked about some of Excella's experiments. Alexia offered little as to what she had been doing, and seemed to take little interest in what Excella had to say. If being licked by distracted the dark-haired woman, she did not show it.

"Are you sure you want to speak about this with her here?" asked Excella, sounding braver than normal.

Alexia slid the dildo into Claire, making her cry out, but she continued to lick Excella, pushing her tongue against the tender, pink flesh. "She's in no position to do anything about what she hears," said Alexia. "She's become obedient much quicker than I had anticipated. She bores me."

"I feel sorry for her, then," said Excella, stroking Claire's head. "But your right, she does what she's told with no argument. Unlike her friend."

Claire knew when she was being baited and did not rise. Being boring was about the worst thing she could do at the moment that would not lead to her being injured so badly she would not have a chance to escape.

"Perhaps I'll use some of your A-30 on this one. I rather enjoyed the effect it had on her companion."

Unable to resist, Claire picked her head up. "What the hell have you done to her?"

She felt the dildo leave her, then she gritted her teeth when it was shoved into her anus. Thankfully it had been made slick before being put into her the first time, but it was still unpleasant. Alexia laughed as she moved the dildo in deeper. "She was given an aphrodisiac. A triple dose, it seems. It makes every sensation nearly orgasmic. You don't need it, Claire, you're already a whore."

Alexia's fingers entered where the dildo had been and began to tease pleasure from her. Her question answered, she went back to licking Excella who had become especially wet.

"She's not so docile, it seems," said Excella. "No matter, since you asked. Wesker is holding off because he thinks Chris Redfield has infiltrated the facility, along with Ada Wong. He wants to make sure they are both dealt with before the final stage is complete."

Claire licked with more enthusiasm, not wanting to make it seem like she had taken note of what was said. Excella was squirming more now and there was a highness to her voice.

"It would seem now is the time to put our plans in motion," said Alexia. "Unless you still think Wesker intends to make you his queen?"

Excella snorted. "He's tipped his hand one too many times for me to believe that," said Excella. "I would rather serve you."

Claire felt herself start to come, and unable to stop it she stopped licking and rode it out while Alexia moved the dildo and her fingers faster. Claire breathed hard into the bed sheet as it bunched up in her fists. She was allowed a few moments before a tap to her head signaled her to resume licking Excella.

Leaving the dildo inside her, Alexia stepped away and returned. "Are you ready for our endgame, then?" Alexia asked. "Once it starts things will be chaotic."

"Give me two hours lead time," Excella said. "Wesker is anticipating this."

"He needed me to get him this far," said Alexia. She tossed a dildo to Excella, who looked at it for a moment then sucked on it. She tapped Claire with it who brought her head up and let the dildo pass into her mouth. She could taste Excella on it and added as much saliva as she could before it was taken away and handed back to Alexia. "I doubt whatever he has in store to counter me is very formidable, plus he has Redfield and that Oriental woman to worry over."

She placed the dildo over Claire's womanhood and with a little teasing pushed it in, where she left it. She stepped away again, then Claire felt the sting of leather on her backside. The slaps were light at first, then Claire winced under them and cried out when hit. After several blows they subsided and became light taps. She kept licking.

"Two hours does seem like a long time," said Alexia. "Are you sure you won't be planning to escape? Were I you I would be tempted to think Wesker and I will destroy each other."

"I don't see how Wesker can destroy you," said Excella. "Plus you said you would tutor me. How can I pass that up?"

Claire thought if Alexia was buying in to Excella's sucking up then there was hope for her slipping out from the monster-woman's thumb yet. Alexia's laugh, however, told all that flattery had not fooled her. "No matter, Excella. You will do as you are told and if you displease me I will break you like I plan to break this one. She ate from a dog bowl earlier. When I have more time things will get serious."

She stroked Claire's sore backside then gave it a hard slap. Excella gripped Claire's head and watched as the whip slapped against flesh. Claire closed her eyes and licked harder, making Excella come. When she was done the whip stopped and Claire buried her face into the mattress. "She licked so good when you were beating her," said Excella. "She's perfect."

"She's pretending," said Alexia. "Once Wesker is finished her true education will begin. Now, go. Make your preparations."

Excella left the bed and straightened out her dress. She did not speak again before leaving and Alexia, who wore no clothes, took her place on the bed. Claire moved to begin licking her with her stiff tongue but Alexia's hand stopped her and bid her to crawl up so she was splayed on the other woman's body.

The intimacy of the position made Claire feel like she was lying in filth and she actually squirmed when Alexia began to caress her hair and brush it from her eyes. "What are you doing?" asked Claire before Alexia slipped her hands beneath Claire's chin and raised her face up to kiss her. Alexia's tongue was slow but forceful and thorough and Claire met it with her own, feeling more invaded somehow than ever before.

"Whatever I want," said Alexia. "I've shed most of my useless humanity but I find my mind and body still respond to certain mammalian pleasures. I find indulging in them sharpens my intellect."

"I know the feeling," said Claire.

"Do you? That must how you and the Oriental were able to get the best of me at the Antarctic base. I was fresh out of the womb, then but I've sharpened. I've also had some time to think about your transgression. You'll still suffer for it, don't misunderstand me, but perhaps if you suffer well you may come out a better person than you are now. How does that sound?"

"I'm always looking to improve," said Claire, wishing this would stop more than she had at any point before. Alexia kissed her again, sending her tongue in deep but then she pulled away and began placing affectionate pecks on Claire's face and head. -Oh, God, this is the worst,- she thought.

"I used to have a brother, Claire," Alexia said. "He died. I felt nothing over his loss. I feel nothing most times but it seems whenever I consider you, I feel something. I think it may be hatred but I'm no longer sure."

-Oh. My. God.- Claire thought. "Emotions...can be hard to define sometimes," said Claire as she felt Alexia's arms wrap around her. She tried to concentrate on the dildos still inside her, as they presented less of an intrusion to her well-being than the affection of this woman.

"I never enjoyed them, even before my transformation," said Alexia. "Part of the reason I changed was to strip myself of them, to be free of their influence, but once I was awake I realized something. Emotions drive you. They are to be used as fuel for the intellect. You will help me tap them again. This time I will be in complete control of what I feel and when I feel it. After your conditioning you will hold a high place in my court, higher than Excella, who will likely have to become a wall tapestry. She's entirely too clever and ambitious."

Claire was silent, but thinking there was an opportunity here she gently slid her hand over Alexia's arm and planted a kiss above her breast. "Can I ask a favor, then?"

"You are in no position to ask me anything," said Alexia. "I still have not determined whether what I feel for you is hate or something else."

"I just wanted to say," Claire said. "I'll help you however I can if you keep Sheva and my brother safe. Chris is going after Wesker. All he wants is to get Wesker and to rescue his partner, Jill. The woman Sheva has under mind control."

Alexia tittered and patted Claire's head. "Concern for others, there's one mammalian trait I do not miss. I may be able to exert some influence to ensure their safety but progress with you will have to be made first. I can feel you bristling under my touch, still. After I've broken you down I will rebuild you to love me."

Claire nodded and letting out a deep breath she tried to take her mind to another place, one where the body beneath her was that of someone she cared for and not the shell of some inhuman beast. Gently she cupped Alexia's breast and kissed it before taking into into her mouth. Pretending her flesh was someone else's she showed it slow affection while touching the other. "Can I get these things out of me? Please?" she asked.

Alexia nodded and Claire stopped to remove the dildos inside her, leaving them at the foot of the bed and herself feeling empty. When she turned back she spread her hands across Alexia's chest while straddling her, trying to only see the body and not the thing that animated it. "Are you trying to curry my favor?" asked Alexia.

"Will you tell me what you're planning to do to Wesker? I don't want him to succeed at whatever he's planning," said Claire, hoping Alexia's inhuman mind would ignore that her question had not been directly answered.

"This was one of Umbrella's first facilities," said Alexia. "As you can see, Tricell has been working out of it for some time, but many of the old experiments remained. While Las Plagas has consumed the attention of people like Wesker and Gionne, I have been working on my own projects. You would call them bioweapons but I prefer to think of them as soldiers in my army. I intend to release them, soon, and I've sent Gionne to take certain steps to ensure their success against the Plaga strains that do Wesker's bidding."

Claire was rubbing Alexia's shoulders and as her skin went cold she ran her hands down over the woman's breasts, enjoying how soft they were. "Is Excella Gionne trustworthy?"

This was met with a tittering laugh and Claire tried not to wince at hearing it. "Of course not. Like I said, she plans to escape, likely with a sample of Uroboros and a dozen other things that have been created in this place. Tricell will be the most powerful pharmaceutical company in the world." She tittered again. "But of course she will not escape, and if she does I shall find her. Her intellect is inferior to mine, but I can't have someone with her intelligence and propensities loose in the world, now can I?"

"She's dangerous, we can agree on that much," said Claire.

She was yanked down on top of Alexia, who fixed her with a hard stare. "You're playing a game with me, aren't you?" she asked. Something alien in her voice had paralyzed Claire and she could only shake. "I may decide these feelings you inspire in me, Claire, are detrimental, and then I shall destroy you."

-She's insane,- thought Claire. -Whatever she did to herself, it made her crazier than ever before.-

"S-so far I haven't done anything," said Claire.

"I know of the damage you and your friends are capable of causing. Do you seek to feign obedience then betray me like you did last time?"

Claire let her forehead rest on Alexia's naked chest so she would not have to look into her eyes, which were unnaturally blue when viewed up close. "You want the truth? I want the people I care about out of here safe, and Wesker stopped. If that happened I could live with everything else."

Alexia did not laugh, and instead ran her fingers through Claire's hair. "You're forgetting that I already have you, Claire. You can't try and trade yourself for my favors."

With dry lips, Claire kissed Alexia's chest and felt as though she were standing her ground against a horde of bioweapons with no bullets to spare. "You don't have me, though. Not really. Yes, I'm faking it because I'm terrified of you. If you made sure Ada, Sheva, and my brother if he's here were safe, and stopped Wesker, I wouldn't fight you."

"How you lie," said Alexia, although she sounded amused. "Once you had what you wanted, Claire, you would try to wiggle out from beneath me like the worm you are. Rest assured I will end Wesker, but I will make you no promises about your allies. If they have the sense to keep out of my way, they may yet live."

-I'm getting nowhere with this,- she thought, and rested her cheek on Alexia, who had spread her legs and hooked them around Claire. "So what will you and I be doing when all hell breaks loose?"

"I'll be ensuring Wesker's demise. I would love to give him an agonizing end, but I fear what strength he does have will require me to get my hands dirty in combat. You'll be confined to a cage. It will keep you safe, provided you go unnoticed."

"I don't think I'd like that," she said.

Alexia's fingers dug into her scalp. "You won't. You still need to be broken, Claire, so when you talk like you were before you won't be lying to me. Still, I find your antics amusing for the time being. Pretend to make love to me, pet."

-Awkward sex, my favorite,- thought Claire, moving her lips to Alexia's left breast and kissing around the pale nipple before she licked it, then took it into her mouth. Her tongue tickled it and she felt Alexia move under her, like a normal woman would, and she was able to partly believe it was not a monster she was tasting.

She was enveloped by Alexia's arms and legs and when their lips connected, she felt a wet tongue thrusting into her mouth. When she kissed back, Alexia's teeth would gently squeeze her tongue, and the fear she felt over being bitten must have been senses because Alexia began to nibble Claire's lips, then her cheek, around to her ear. She cried out when Alexia bit her neck hard enough to leave a mark, then she was rolled onto her back. Alexia had come alive and was nuzzling, kissing, and biting with a passion Claire did not know was there. Like a bird that had not accepted its hiding place was found by a fox, Claire did not move while Alexia showered her in affection that increased in its intensity. She was covered in love bites by the time Alexia had slipped between her legs to kiss and taste her thighs, and Claire closed her eyes tight while her body tensed.

She felt Alexia's tongue inside her, pushing her apart and tasting her. The woman-thing was incensed, and Claire's body jolted under the sensations she was evoking. Squirming, Claire's feet slid against the sheets and her hands came together into fists. Alexia's hand slid up her body to feel her breasts and so she took hold of the other and played with the nipple, decided she may as well enjoy what she could of the experience. -Just don't bite me there, please,- she thought over and over.

She was bitten, but Alexia's mouth was like that of a cat with its kittens and the sensation worked to jolt Claire's body towards an orgasm. Alexia's licking remained frantic, and her love bites well-timed and perfectly done. After one bite, the hardest of them, Claire was thrust immediately into the grip of a powerful orgasm. There had been no build up, no slipping into it, it hit her like a club and stunned her. The only sound she could make was to let out a rush of air after it was over.

Claire opened her eyes when Alexia straddled her upper thigh and began to grind herself into it. Her eyes were closed and her mouth hung open as she was lost in her own pleasure. For a moment she looked like any other woman, albeit a gorgeous one whose appearance seemed to bend to someone's artistic notions than reality. Before Alexia came, she slowly opened her eyes and looked at Claire, whose body once again went rigid. Her eyes had become yellow and her mouth bent towards a grin just as she started to come. Thankfully her eyes closed and she ground herself into Claire's leg harder while leaning forward and placing her hands on the bed for support. Claire heard the fabric tear and felt her leg get soaked.

Alexia was on top of her now, breathing heavily with her face stuck over Claire's shoulder. Claire's neck was licked and she wondered when this would end.

"You puzzle me, Claire Redfield," she whispered.

"I'm sorry," said Claire, looking hard at the ceiling.

"You should be glad. As long as you're a puzzle, I won't destroy you."

"I don't know what to say."

"Then be silent."

XXX

Excella felt good.

Her fingers moved swiftly over a small keyboard set into a black box that took up half of the room. It was making frothy humming noises like a dishwasher and every few seconds a slot in the side would open and present her with a glass tube roughly the length of her finger and twice as thick. The color of the fluid inside them varied, some were blue, others green, while some had varying shades of purple or pink. Excella labeled them and put them into a special briefcase which would protect them.

There was no country, no major pharmaceutical company, no third-world tinpot dictator that would not have killed to obtain just one of vials in the case. Samples of the T, G, and T-Veronica viruses, Las Plagas eggs, and even the dreaded Uroboros were accounted for, along with some drugs and chemicals of Excella's own design. There was also the drug that kept Jill Valentine under control, and a few healthy doses of the aphrodisiac she had used on the BSAA agent, Sheva Alomar.

When the machine stopped, Excella closed the case and went to another computer terminal where she began to enter a number of codes and run several wiping programs. From a small radio in her ear, she could hear some of the more mentally capable majini barking orders to each other, or screaming. As planned, hell had been unleashed in the facility and it sounded as though the majini were putting up a better fight than Alexia anticipated.

-But not better than what I anticipated,- thought Excella, as she smiled haughtily. She was playing a dangerous game now, as shew as leaving Alexia and Wesker's fates up to chance. Neither would be pleased with her, but by the time one of them recovered from their inevitable duel, she would be in a position to protect herself.

It wounded her pride to see herself as an ant scurrying to avoid being crushed amidst a duel between two larger beasts, but the rule of the world was survival of the fittest and often being fit meant knowing ones limitations.

It was her limitations she felt quite keenly when a gun barrel was pressed hotly between her bare shoulder blades. Excella had changed into a red dress; it hung low on her hips and covered her front, leaving space for her breasts to show, but left her back utterly bare save for a strip of cloth over the back of her neck. "Can I help you?" she asked.

"I don't know yet," said the woman behind her. It was a voice suited to a bedroom or lounge, but its tone was business. "I'm pretty sure I want what you've got in that case, but there's something else, too."

"You'd better be more than pretty sure," said Excella. "What's in that case is very dangerous. Expert hands only."

"Well that's good, because my hands more than qualify," said the woman as she gently dragged the gun muzzle down Excella's back and let it rest in the soft flesh above her buttocks. "Why don't you pick it up. I'll let you carry it for me."

Excella picked up the case but did not move otherwise. There was one more key she needed to press on the computer but did not dare. "Just who are you supposed to be anyway? How many trespassing are running around now?"

The woman laughed. "I'm the famous spy, Ada Wong."

"Ah, yes, I should have know," said Excella. "Wesker said you would likely show up. Here for Uroboros? Have a buyer lined up yet?"

"Mmm, of course," said Ada. "I'm not a burglar, you know. Don't ask me who I'm here for, though, I'd have to shoot you after I answered."

"Well, then I won't ask, I'll just assume it's one of the three people in the world who might know what to do with it," said Excella. "I wonder if Annette Birkin will be pleased to see her husband's work returned to her."

Ada cooed. "You've got the G-virus in there, too? Well, I won't rob you of _all_ your goodies, I'm no bandit, either. Lets go somewhere a little more secure, your quarters, maybe. You can give me the Uroboros sample and maybe we can talk about some other things."

Excella hit the key on the console and when she did not feel her spine shattered from a bullet she slowly turned away, catching a glimpse of the infamous Ada Wong as the woman backed up a few feet to let her pass. She wore a sultry red dress beneath a black tactical vest, which Excella thought absurd at first but something about how Ada stood with it made it look interesting. She carried a small machine gun and over her back was slung a long rifle. "That's a lot of firepower to steal a little glass tube," said Excella as she led Ada out of the room and towards her living area.

"All things considering, I'm lightly armed," said Ada.

"What's this other matter you wanted to discuss? You know things are going to hell around here, right?" Excella was wishing she had not sent Jill away, and was turning her brain over to fathom why Ada had not killed her outright. Perhaps she needed information and wanted more time to extract it.

-I've been pushed around entirely too much,- Excella thought, walking with her head high even if goosebumps had formed on the back of her neck. -If this little witch thinks she can roll me under her thumb, she's badly mistaken.-

They came to Excella's room and she set the briefcase down on the couch. "Have a seat," said Ada, bidding Excella to rest next to the case. She did, splaying herself out to show she had no fear of Ada or her gun.

Ada sat down on the low coffee table in front of Alexia, crossing her legs and resting her gun at her waist as though they had been girlfriends out for a walk. She kicked off her black shoes and wiggled her toes while emitting a relieved sigh.

"I've had one hell of a day," Ada said.

Excella said nothing. Something had changed with Ada, something that made the air in the room thick and Excella did not like it. "It's about to get worse," said Excella. "Alexia and Wesker have split and their respective forces are fighting, in case you hadn't noticed."

"Oh, I noticed," said Ada. "Where is Claire Redfield?"

Excella licked her dry lips and eyed the gun pointed casually at her. "Alexia has her. She's been using her for...pleasure. I don't think serious harm has come to her, yet."

Ada took in a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly. "In that case, where is her partner?"

"The African woman? In Room C on the third level."

"And Jill Valentine?"

"Guarding her."

Ada studied Excella, who found it harder to sit casually under the woman's black stare. "What did you do to them?"

Excella explained how the device implanted into Jill's chest was injecting her with the P30 mind-control drug, and with some hesitancy explained the A30 chemical used on Sheva. "To keep her docile," Excella lied. "She was quite a fighter."

"I see," said Ada. "Well that's good, they're both in the same place. If I rescue them, maybe I can get everything I want, someday at least."

"Perhaps," said Excella, having no idea what Ada meant. "Speaking of what you want, can we get this over with? My plan was to be well on my way to gone by now."

"Yes," said Ada. "I've actually got a business proposition for you."

"You've got me at gunpoint," said Excella.

"Think of the gun as something I have to offer," said Ada. "What are you going to do with the things in that briefcase once you get out of here? Let me guess, set up your own pharmaceutical company or take over Tricell and become one of the big players, right?"

"That was the general plan, yes," said Excella.

"I make my living stealing things like that briefcase, but I'm not getting any younger and what it's costing to cover my tracks is going up while my paydays are not keeping step, understand?"

Excella curled her lip and thought something else was going on here, but could not pinpoint what. She supposed someone like Ada wanting a retirement plan made enough sense to play along. "You want to work for me? Not as a freelance thief?"

Ada nodded. "You need someone like me," Ada said. "If you didn't, you wouldn't have been hanging around people like Wesker and Alexia. I'm much better than those two."

"Are you now?"

"Please. I'm human, for one thing. My goals involve money, and more money. I'm not into this world domination nonsense and I don't think you are, either. Not in the way those two lunatics are, at least."

Excella smiled and cocked her head. "I like being able to get what I want, whatever that happens to be. So you want to work for me? Alright then. Now what?"

"All I need from you now is the Uroboros sample," said Ada.

Now Excella was truly puzzled. "What for? If you're to work for me you'll have it, essentially. Or rather the profit from it."

"I've got my reasons," said Ada. "That's the deal. Hand it over and we'll call it a deal. Don't and I'll shoot. I can worry about getting it from the case later, and in fact I don't even need to worry about that."

"May I stand?" asked Excella. Ada nodded, and stood up herself.

Excella stepped closer to Ada, who did not move. Instead she looked both intrigued and not surprised in the slightest at the look Excella wore on her face. Ada Wong had interested Excella before. Nearly everyone in the bio-pharmaceuticals industry had been briefed on the beautiful Femme Fatale who could supposedly steal any bioweapon sample that existed under lock and key. Excella had only ever seen grainy surveillance photos of Ms. Wong and thought her beauty exaggerated. Now Excella could see the appeal. With some effort, Ada might have graced the cover of a magazine. Her lips were a little pale and her eyes dark, but her face was round and soft. She had a petite figure unlike Excella's, who could sense Ada was wound like a coil of hard wire and while she appeared soft and lithe could snap and strike like a cobra.

"Can I ask what you plan to do with Uroboros? It sounds like you plan to destroy it," Excella said.

Ada shrugged and flipped her hair from her face. "I don't care what ultimately happens to it, but I do need it for a brief time."

"I hope you don't plan to infect yourself or some nonsense" said Excella, lifting her hands slowly to touch Ada's elbows, mindful of the gun pointed into her midsection. "It's not all Wesker makes it out to be."

"I'm not that foolish," said Ada. "But maybe I am." Still confused, Excella ran her hands up Ada's bare arms and over her shoulders, feeling the barrel of Ada's weapon touch her soft belly. Ada's lips parted but before they could touch Excella's, she spoke. "I'm going to put my weapons down, but just so we're on the same wave length, you know what will happen if you try anything, right?'

Excella squeezed the biceps her fingers had been playing with. Ada had a petite, feminine figure but her muscles were like steel ropes, hardened from intense training and experience. Excella did not think her bit of extra weight would help her much in a fight and did not ponder the question any further.

"I'm no fool, either" Excella said, smiling. "My beauty and brains see to my continued good health, I leave the hand-to-hand combat to others more willing to gamble with their lives. I think I'll accept your offer."

Ada set her machine gun down and unshouldered her rifle. Her tactical vest came off and she pulled Excella closer to her so their bodies were touching. "Shall we shake on it, then?" Ada asked.

Their lips connected and Excella found herself on the defensive. Ada's tongue was like something hungry that had been unleashed on her. Not content to stay in her mouth, the kiss was broken and Excella felt her neck being electrified by a string of nips and licks that went down to her shoulder before traveling back up to her ear. Excella could not help a sharp intake of breath and responded by squeezing Ada's backside and pulling her tighter. Any vague thoughts she had of reaching for a weapon disappeared, her own lust getting the better of her.

She felt like a cat that had chased a mouse into a dog kennel and now found its role reversed. Ada knew every point on her body that sent a tingle through her and was playing her like a piano, making her legs weak and her breath short. Her hips were being caressed and appreciated while Ada's lips and tongue sought parts of her that got little attention during most foreplay sessions. Feeling overwhelmed, Excella stepped back and her retreat brought her down onto the couch with Ada on top of her.

On her back, Excella's dress was undone and her torso exposed like a present on Christmas morning. Ada's hands now moved at just the right speed and at just the right pressure up over Excella's stomach and around her breasts, the nipples on which were stiff and puffy. Excella felt them aching to be touched, but Ada seemed content to fix her eyes on them and lick her lips in anticipation.

Ada's finger followed the line of Excella's jaw to her lips and brushed over them before moving them apart to be sucked. Her finger wet, Ada touched it lightly to the tip of one of Excella's nipples and moved it in a circle. Just before it became painful, Ada pressed down, and there was less friction but more pressure on the soft flesh. The move was like hitting a button and Excella cried out. She lie still, not knowing what Ada was going to do to her and not wishing to interfere.

Slowly Ada's touching of Excella's left breast became more intense, however her other hand continued to tease the right, massaging around it, threatening to make contact with the sensitive areas but never doing do. Such was Ada's skill that Excella could do little more than stare down at herself being caressed in awe. She had never met this woman before, much less been with her like this, how could she know what made Excella's toes and fingers curl in such a way? Her lips parted to let her breath better, as she felt a strange sensation now in her upper body that was leaking lower. The stimulation of her left side and the teasing on her right had formed a bizarre vortex inside her, one that spiraled down through her like a drill, sending up waves of pleasure that made her tighten all over.

A serene look had come over Ada's face as she played; she was in no hurry, and Excella herself had forgotten everything about what had happened before. She could sense that she was on the verge of experiencing something unlike anything she had met with before and was eager to see it through. That eagerness was fuel being poured on the fire that had been lit inside her and her back began to arch and her throat emit low moans.

Ada leaned forward, her thin, muscular frame bending easily to put her lips over Excella's left breast. She sucked in the stiff, dark colored nipple and her tongue tasted it before beginning to flicker. Excella cried out as though she had been penetrated and her arms went above her head to grip the couch arm as she had the presence of mind to let Ada to her work.

Closing her eyes, Excella let her brain swim in the bath of endorphins Ada's fingers had caused her to release. She was on the cusp of a powerful orgasm and never before had spent so much time floating in this extreme state. Her mind was clear, her thoughts pure, free of care or concern for anything else. She was only dimly aware that she had serious problems to deal with when this was over but those thoughts were suddenly washed away when Ada's hand finally clamped down over the breast she had been teasing.

Excella thought she had exploded, and certainly some part of here would be sore later as she convulsed sharply. A scream caught in her tightened throat like a lake's worth of water that tried to push itself through kitchen faucet all at once. Every muscle in her body vibrated and hummed as the orgasm tore through her, peeling off layers of her and sending her spiraling backwards into a thoughtless void.

When she had a sense of her surroundings once more she noticed she was covered in sweat and aches, and felt as though she had been through a fierce workout routine. Ada was gently caressing her chest between her breasts, making soothing sounds as Excella collected herself.

"Looks like we have a deal," said Ada. "And I'm your partner, not your employee."

"Partners haven't been working for me so well, lately," said Excella as she tried to catch her breath and collect herself.

"I only do this sort of thing with partners," said Ada.

"Partners it is, then," said Excella. "If you were planning on doing something with those other women, you might want to hurry. I'll give you the number for my communicator and we can meet again shortly, once I've finalized certain things."

"I might cut it close, but I'll be done soon," said Ada, getting dressed. Excella opened the briefcase and handed her Uroboros, then gave her the number that would let her talk to Excella via their communicators.

"Don't cut it too close," said Excella. "I'm not a sentimental person."

"Neither am I," said Ada, and left the room.

**To be continued...**


End file.
